The importance of Malarone (atovaquone/proguanil) in combating the spread and severity of malaria cannot be overstated. Roll Back Malaria (RBM), an initiative hosted by the World Health Organization, classifies malaria as an epidemic and warns varying degrees of infection risk exist in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, South America and the Caribbean. RBM reports more than 1 million people die annually from malaria infection.
Success Rate
Malaria spreads easily through contact with infected mosquitoes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises all travelers to tropical and subtropical climates to begin an antimalarial drug regimen prior to departure. The CDC recommends Malarone as one of three possible medications individuals should use as a first line of defense against contracting malaria or treating an existing infection.
Malarone prevents the most serious and deadly strain of malaria, P. falciparum, with astounding efficacy. GlaxoSmithKline, manufacturer of Malarone, reports a 98 percent success rate in its use as a preventative measure. The importance of Malarone extends beyond its immediate efficacy. Malaria is a virus that adapts quickly through random mutations, rendering typical drugs useless in preventing and treating against the new form of infection. Malarone is a combination of two antimalarial medications, each with distinct actions. The WHO reports that combination antimalarial drugs are more likely to remain effective when mutations occur, extending both Malarone's potential life expectancy and that of exposed or infected individuals.
Travel
Visitors to malaria endemic regions, particularly those without prior exposure to the disease, experience the highest risk of infection. The CDC advises such individuals to initiate antimalarial drug therapy days or weeks in advance of traveling.
Regional Suitability
Malarone, like other antimalarial drugs, is best-suited for specific strains of malaria endemic to certain regions of the world. The CDC recommends Malarone to prevent infection in a number of countries, including Afghanistan, Mexico and Nigeria (see Resources).
Duration
Travelers benefit from Malarone's relatively short treatment duration. Typical antimalarial drugs might require that treatment begin a month or more in advance of arrival in malaria endemic destinations, and continue for as long as a month after leaving. Medscape.com reports Malarone therapy can effectively prevent infection when treatment begins only two days prior to exposure and requires only seven days of treatment when exposure concludes. This abbreviated regimen makes antimalarial drug therapy more practical and its correct use more likely among those experiencing brief exposure.
Antimalarial Combination Therapy
Malarone is a combination of two antimalarial drugs, atovaquone and proguanil, making it especially valuable in the global suppression effort. The World Health Organization recommends antimalarial combination therapy as the best method of medicinal epidemic control. Treatment consisting of multiple drugs, each acting uniquely against the infection, extends the period of time a medication can be useful before drug resistance occurs. The WHO sites drug resistance due to mutations as a major hindrance in the effort to control the spread of malaria.
Tags: antimalarial drugs, antimalarial drug, combination antimalarial, malaria endemic, antimalarial drug therapy