Therefore, a person who is planning to travel in such regions should contact a physician. The physician can inform the patient if malaria is endemic in the region, and if so, the physician can prescribe medication to reduce the risk of contracting the disease. This is often accompanied by confusion, headache, and vomiting that lasts for several hours. These symptoms may occur at intervals of two to three days, depending on the type of malaria, and, if the disease is not treated, they will recur at irregular intervals for many years. The diagnosis is made by examination of a blood sample, which reveals the presence of malarial parasites.
Initial treatment is with the drug chloroquine.
Unfortunately, P. falciparum , the most dangerous cause of malaria, is often resistant to chloroquine and many other drugs. Inc. All Rights Reserved. From The World Book Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center Medical Encyclopedia . Inc. Email This to a Friend. All rights reserved.