Governments in African countries such as Rwanda, Swaziland, Sierra Leone and Ghana are reporting reduced malaria mortality rates due to a collective effort to control the disease. A mix of preventive measures are now widely used by trained community health workers equipped with test-kits, freely distributed mosquito-nets, and anti-malaria drugs - as well as the use of anti-malaria awareness public health campaigns.
We are delighted to be doing our own part in helping to reduce the incidence of malaria.
However, malaria remains a threat.
Super Mosquitoes and Malaria Treatment Side-Effects
A mosquito hybrid in West Africa - dubbed 'super mosquito' - has developed the ability to survive exposure to insecticide-treated bed nets resulting in the failure of bed net protective control.
In addition, medical researchers working to develop malaria vaccine have discovered that some types of vaccines used in combination with insecticide-treated bed nets can be detrimental.
The drug Artisunate + Amodiaquine (AS+AQ) - an artimisinin-based combination therapies - distributed in a mass effort to control malaria in Sierra Leone has shown strong side effects. They include dizziness, headache and diarrhea - and other symptoms which could be misdiagnosed as Ebola. Because of the reported side effects of this drug, many people have discontinued it or refused to take the first dose. And, failure to complete the treatment puts patients at risk.
Malaria Treatment Advances in Africa
A new drug being tested is showing promise. The drug (+)-SJ733 reduced the number of malaria parasites by 80% within 24 hours and completely eliminated them within 48 hour in mice experiments. Because the drug works so quickly, it could reduce the chances of parasites developing drug resistance. The first clinical trials have started to test its effectiveness in humans. NITD246, similar to the drug (+)-SJ733, is already in clinical trials.
References:
Rwanda Could Soon Eradicate Malaria - Africa's Number One Killer, Reports KT Press:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rwanda-could-soon-eradicate-malaria---africas-number-one-killer-reports-kt-press-300019640.html
Swaziland Aims for Malaria Elimination:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201501141265.html
Ghana’s André Ayew to Deliver Life-Saving Malaria Prevention and Treatment Messages during AFCON2015
http://gbcghana.com/1.1958818
Hybrid 'super mosquito' resistant to insecticide-treated bed nets
http://phys.org/news/2015-01-hybrid-super-mosquito-resistant-insecticide-treated.html
Bed nets and vaccines: Some combinations may worsen malaria
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-01-bed-nets-vaccines-combinations-worsen.html
How a drug’s side effect is complicating anti-Malaria campaign in Sierra Leone
http://politicosl.com/2015/01/how-a-drug%E2%80%99s-side-effect-is-complicating-anti-malaria-campaign-in-sierra-leone/
Genetics of malaria drug resistance revealed
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30886419
New Malaria Meds Aim to Fight Drug Resistance
http://singularityhub.com/2015/01/11/novel-malaria-meds-aim-to-fight-growing-drug-resistance/
