17th June 2024

Prophylaxis

The required type of prophylaxis, if any, depends on malaria species prevalence and resistance patterns in the region of interest. A comprehensive list by country can be found in the references below. If the risk of falciparum is negligible, no prophylaxis is recommended. If the risk of falciparum is small, bed nets alone may be sufficient. There are two broad types of chemoprophylaxis: suppressive and causal. Doxycycline is an example of a suppressive prophylactic, which kills blood stage parasites only. This means the medication must be taken for a period once the individual has left the region of risk. Conversely, causal prophylaxis, such as atovaquone with proguanil, stops parasite development in the liver and can, therefore, be discontinued shortly after leaving the endemic area.

Image Source: CDC (2020). Malaria about distribution, Licensed under a creative commons licence. Available for free at: https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/distribution.html (Accessed:24 January 2024).

Image Source: CDC (2020). Malaria about biology, Licensed under a creative commons licence. Available for free at: https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/biology/index.html (Accessed: 24 January 2024).