Malaria Author: Rick M. Fairhurst, MD, PhD; Thomas E. Wellems, MD, PhD
Module updated - 2009-11-19
Author information and module status
Prevention
Screening
Diagnosis
Consultation for Diagnosis
Hospitalization
Non-drug Therapy
Drug Therapy
Patient Education
Consultation for Management
Follow-up
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Glossary
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Follow-up

Follow-up patients to ensure that thick smear is negative and that symptoms have resolved. C

  • Check blood smears daily to ensure that parasitemias decrease with treatment until a negative test result is documented.
  • Follow patients closely to document resolution of fever and malaria symptoms and to ensure tolerance and compliance with malaria drug treatment.
  • Advise patients that return of malaria symptoms may occur despite seemingly adequate treatment, due to the recrudescence of drug-resistant parasites.
  • Advise all patients to return for clinical and laboratory evaluation if they become febrile or experience flu-like symptoms within 10 weeks of completing malaria treatment.
  • Treat with a different drug in accordance with likely drug resistance patterns if parasites are again identified on thick smear and it is likely that the patient was compliant with the initial antimalarial regimen.
  • Advise patients that a malaria episode does not make them immune to further episodes of the disease, and that preventative measures should again be employed during future travel.
  • See table Elements of Follow-up for Malaria.
Background

FAQs
Harry Tagbor, MBChB, DrPH, editorial consultant, has no financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, or health-care related organizations. Rick M. Fairhurst, MD, PhD has no financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, or health-care related organizations. Thomas E. Wellems, MD, PhD has no financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies, biomedical device manufacturers, or health-care related organizations.
Steven E. Weinberger, MD, FACP, Acting Editor, PIER, has stock holdings in Glaxosmithkline and Abbott.

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