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3.7.13 - Malaria and Tropical Diseases

from Section 3.7 - Infection and Immunity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2023

Ned Gilbert-Kawai
Affiliation:
The Royal Liverpool Hospital
Debashish Dutta
Affiliation:
Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, Harlow
Carl Waldmann
Affiliation:
Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading
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Summary

Key Learning Points

  1. 1. Malaria is caused by a protozoan parasite of the Plasmodium genus, transmitted by mosquitoes.

  2. 2. There are five species of Plasmodium that regularly infect humans; Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for the vast majority of malarial deaths.

  3. 3. Severe malaria is a medical emergency, with mortality from untreated disease (particularly cerebral malaria) approaching 100 per cent. Early diagnosis and prompt, effective treatment are essential.

  4. 4. Parenteral artesunate is the treatment of choice for all severe malaria.

  5. 5. It is important to remember there are many causes of critical illness in the returning traveller, with a wide number of differentials, including, but not limited to: enteric fever (typhoid and paratyphoid), hepatitis, dengue or other arboviruses, avian influenza and viral haemorrhagic fever.

Type
Chapter
Information
Intensive Care Medicine
The Essential Guide
, pp. 287 - 291
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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References

References and Further Reading

Karnad, DR, Richards, GA, Silva, GS, et al. Tropical diseases in the ICU: a syndromic approach to diagnosis and treatment. J Crit Care 2018;46:119–26.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lalloo, DG, Shingadia, D, Bell, DJ, et al. UK malaria treatment guidelines 2016. J Infect 2016;72:635–49.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marks, M, Gupta-Wright, A, Doherty, J, et al. Managing malaria in the intensive care unit. Br J Anaesth 2014;113:910–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Public Health England. 2018. Malaria imported into the United Kingdom: 2018. Implications for those advising travellers. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/812824/Malaria_imported_into_the_United_Kingdom_2018.pdfGoogle Scholar
Sinclair, D, Donegan, S, Isba, R, Lalloo, DG. Artesunate versus quinine for treating severe malaria. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012;6:CD005967.Google Scholar
World Health Organization. 2021. WHO guidelines for malaria. www.who.int/publications/i/item/guidelines-for-malariaGoogle Scholar

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