I'm about to travel and stay for a month to a country with endemic malaria and must pick an anti-malaria medicine to take before, during and after the trip. Here are the options that I have been presented with by my institute and public health and the CDC:
1. Malarone (Atovaquone-Proguanil) - taken daily, no known side effects other than mild stomach distress. Affects the Malaria Plasmodium even in its early stage (as soon as it enters the liver). Enormously expensive.
2. Lariam (Mefloquine) - taken weekly, known for causing diarrhea, psychiatric effects like hallucinations and depression, and neurological effects like dizziness. Affects the Malaria Plasmodium only during its second stage (after it bursts from the liver to infect blood). Expensive but affordable.
3. Doxycycline - taken daily, basic antibiotic used for lots of other stuff, known for causing diarrhea and sun allergy. Affects the Malaria Plasmodium only during its second stage (after it bursts from the liver to infect blood). Cheap or free.
4. Chloroquine - not considered, as local Malaria Plasmodiums have developed resistance to it.
Each one of these medicines has potential problems that I will have to deal with. What did you take? What are your experiences?
What I'm concerned with far more than the side effects is the effectiveness of these medicines. Namely, once you get Malaria you are fucked because you are usually infected for life. Once they've entered the liver, the malaria hypnozoites linger there for up to 30 years and keep reactivating from time to time.
So my primary question is this... since Lariam and Doxycycline don't affect the parasite in its liver stage, does it actually mean that they simply delay Malaria - i.e. the parasite settles inside your liver and just waits until you stop taking the drug? Is Malarone the only option for actually stopping Malaria, not just delaying it? Or am I misunderstanding this mechanism?
Will be very grateful for any answers![[Image: banana.gif]](https://rooshvforum.network/images/smilies/new/banana.gif)
1. Malarone (Atovaquone-Proguanil) - taken daily, no known side effects other than mild stomach distress. Affects the Malaria Plasmodium even in its early stage (as soon as it enters the liver). Enormously expensive.
2. Lariam (Mefloquine) - taken weekly, known for causing diarrhea, psychiatric effects like hallucinations and depression, and neurological effects like dizziness. Affects the Malaria Plasmodium only during its second stage (after it bursts from the liver to infect blood). Expensive but affordable.
3. Doxycycline - taken daily, basic antibiotic used for lots of other stuff, known for causing diarrhea and sun allergy. Affects the Malaria Plasmodium only during its second stage (after it bursts from the liver to infect blood). Cheap or free.
4. Chloroquine - not considered, as local Malaria Plasmodiums have developed resistance to it.
Each one of these medicines has potential problems that I will have to deal with. What did you take? What are your experiences?
What I'm concerned with far more than the side effects is the effectiveness of these medicines. Namely, once you get Malaria you are fucked because you are usually infected for life. Once they've entered the liver, the malaria hypnozoites linger there for up to 30 years and keep reactivating from time to time.
So my primary question is this... since Lariam and Doxycycline don't affect the parasite in its liver stage, does it actually mean that they simply delay Malaria - i.e. the parasite settles inside your liver and just waits until you stop taking the drug? Is Malarone the only option for actually stopping Malaria, not just delaying it? Or am I misunderstanding this mechanism?
Will be very grateful for any answers
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