Malaria is a potentially deadly transmittable disease triggered by a parasite sent through the bites of infected mosquitoes. Signs of malaria consist of fever, chills, and flu-like symptoms, and it can lead to severe problems and even death if not without delay diagnosed and dealt with.
Together with the EU-funded international consortium IMPROVE, they have studied a brand-new drug to avoid malaria.” Right now, there are other scientific studies underway to see whether it is possible to combine the 2 drugs, SP and DP. In addition, the health care system might object to buying two drugs instead of one.
Malaria is a parasitic infectious disease that spreads out to human beings through bites from contaminated mosquitoes. Even though history has seen many efforts to remove and manage malaria, it continues to be a major worldwide health issue with 247 million brand-new cases and 619,000 deaths in 2022, according to the WHO.
Unfortunately, the malaria parasite has developed resistance to particular types of antimalarial drugs, and the WHO is therefore trying to find alternative treatments.
They are getting aid from a group of Danish researchers. Together with the EU-funded global consortium IMPROVE, they have studied a new drug to avoid malaria. The appealing results have been published in the respected journal The Lancet.
” Our study reveals that the brand-new drug we have evaluated has a distinct ability to prevent malaria. We likewise found out that pregnant females benefit unexpectedly from an existing drug, even though resistance to this drug is high in some areas,” says Associate Professor Michael Alifrangis from the Centre for Medical Parasitology (CMP) at the University of Copenhagen.
Simply under 5,000 pregnant women from Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi in East Africa took part in the research study. Some of the ladies were treated with the new, appealing drug for prevention, dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP), while others were given the common, recommended drug called sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP).
” We anticipated DP to be so reliable versus malaria that we would be able to recommend the WHO to exchange SP for DP. But the study showed that SP appears to safeguard women from sexually transferred and reproductive tract infections (STIs and RTIs),” states Postdoc and Doctor Christentze Schmiegelow from CMP.
The solution might be a mix
The history of malaria can be traced back to ancient civilizations of Africa, Asia, and South America, and the very first reliable treatment was quinine, first drawn out from the bark of the cinchona tree in Peru in the 17th century. Ever since, the world has actually seen various types of malaria drugs, consisting of SP.
Sadly, parts of sub-Saharan Africa are seeing a boost in SP-resistant parasites. Scientists, for that reason, require to discover alternative methods of avoiding and dealing with malaria in pregnant ladies.
And according to the outcomes of the new research study, the new (malaria) drug is very appealing, therefore, more tests have actually been launched.
” Right now, there are other scientific research studies underway to see whether it is possible to combine the 2 drugs, SP and DP. The issue is getting pregnant females to take two kinds of medication rather one. This might show a difficulty,” says Christentze Schmiegelow.
The scientists know from experience that females are reticent about taking a number of kinds of medication simultaneously due to fear of adverse effects or negative interaction with the medication they are currently taking. In addition, the health care system might object to buying two drugs rather of one. SP is cheap, but DP is not. But obviously, the expenses need to be compared to the expenses of babies and women falling ill or passing away.
The brand-new study is a crucial contribution to our understanding of which determines effectively treat and avoid malaria in pregnancy, Michael Alifrangis concludes.
Enter your journal: Reference: “Effect of monthly intermittent preventive treatment with dihydroartemisinin– piperaquine with and without azithromycin versus monthly sulfadoxine– pyrimethamine on adverse pregnancy outcomes in Africa: a double-blind randomised, partially placebo-controlled trial” by Mwayiwawo Madanitsa, Hellen C Barsosio, Daniel T R Minja, George Mtove, Reginald A Kavishe, James Dodd, Queen Saidi, Eric D Onyango, Kephas Otieno, Duolao Wang, Ulla Ashorn, Jenny Hill, Crispin Mukerebe, Samwel Gesase, Omari A Msemo, Victor Mwapasa, Kamija S Phiri, Kenneth Maleta, Nigel Klein, Pascal Magnussen and Feiko O ter Kuile, 10 March 2023, The Lancet.DOI: 10.1016/ S0140-6736( 22 )02535-1.
By University of Copenhagen – The Professors of Health and Medical Sciences
April 26, 2023
Malaria is a potentially lethal transmittable illness triggered by a parasite transferred through the bites of infected mosquitoes. It affects countless individuals, mainly in developing countries, and is a leading cause of death and disease worldwide. Symptoms of malaria consist of fever, chills, and flu-like symptoms, and it can cause severe issues and even death if not immediately identified and treated.
In the congested streets of Korogwe, Tanzania, an expectant mom is navigating the crowds of individuals, waving her hand in an effort to shoo away the mosquitoes. She is acutely mindful of the dangers presented by malaria, a disease that presents a substantial threat to pregnant ladies, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, and is one of the leading causes of death among this susceptible population.
This scenario, though pictured, is an everyday truth for countless expectant moms worldwide. If they contract the illness, both the mother and her unborn kid face a substantial threat of mortality.
Malaria increases the risk of early birth and low birth weight. The baby death rate is three times as high for children born at term with low birth weight and up to 10 times as high for children born prematurely with low birth weight.