Malaria Treatment: A Trip Around the World

Malaria is responsible for over 1,000 deaths every day across the globe. Young children are particularly at risk, making malaria one of the top causes of death for children in the world. Despite this toll on human life, the treatment of malaria has historically not been a priority in the pharmaceutical world. This review focuses the treatment of malaria from a pharmacologic perspective. It provides guidance for the prevention and treatment of malaria according to CDC and WHO recommendations. Information was gathered using current guidelines, retrospective and prospective clinical trials, systematic reviews, and drug references. There are five species of Anopheles mosquitoes that are responsible for the transmission of malaria, with P. falciparum being the deadliest. The treatment of the disease depends on the responsible species. In addition to a pharmacologic review, the disparity in resources for treating malaria will also be discussed.