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Medical Author:

Mary Nettleman, MD, MS, MACP

Mary Nettleman, MD, MS, MACP

Mary D. Nettleman, MD, MS, MACP is the Chair of the Department of Medicine at Michigan State University. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt Medical School, and completed her residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Indiana University.

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Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Malaria Prevention

• Malaria is a potentially fatal illness. People planning to travel to an area with malaria should see their physician before travel, preferably six weeks before departure. Travelers should use mosquito precautions and take medications to reduce the risk of disease.
• Mosquito precautions include wearing light, protective clothing and using window screens and bed nets when available. The mosquito that spreads malaria is active between dusk and dawn. Insect repellants should be used and should contain DEET. Room sprays may be used to reduce the mosquito population in sleeping areas.
• Several medications are available to prevent malaria. The choice of medication used for prophylaxis depends on the area of the world that is being visited and the drug-resistance pattern in that area. In general, the medications are started before travel, taken while in the malarious area, and continued for a period of time after leaving the area. Although there are no immunizations or vaccinations commercially available to prevent malaria, phase 3 trials reported in October 2011 are encouraging that a moderately effective vaccine will be available soon.
• The Centers for Disease Control maintains a web page (Regional Malaria Information) that gives specific recommendations for every country.

Malaria Prognosis

If promptly diagnosed and treated, malaria is usually not fatal. Delays in diagnosis come because the disease is rarely seen by clinicians in the United States. Delays increase the risk of serious complications or death. Because of the large burden of disease, scientists have been trying to make a malaria vaccine. After decades of disappointment, progress is finally being made although results are still preliminary.

Malaria Picture

Picture of red blood cells infected with malaria parasites. The parasites look like rings inside the cells. SOURCE: CDC/Steven Glenn, Laboratory & Consultation Division