To diagnose malaria, it is best to examine both thin and thick blood slides at the same time, so that the detection rate of plasmodium will be higher. Anti-malaria treatment should be started immediately after diagnosis. In general, antimalarial drugs can be taken orally, but severe malaria must be injected intramuscularly or intravenously. At present, chloroquine is a commonly used antimalarial drug. However, it should be noted that chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria is very common in many parts of the world, such as Southeast Asia and East Africa (also in southern China), so the treatment should be changed to other antimalarial drugs, such as quinine, mefloquine and artemisinin. Plasmodium falciparum strains resistant to quinine or mefloquine have been found. However, so far, no insect strains resistant to artemisinin have been found. In order to prevent the emergence of drug-resistant strains, it is generally advocated to use two or three antimalarial drugs at the same time, such as quinine combined with sulfanilamide, sulfanilamide synergist or tetracycline. The key to treat malaria is still early diagnosis and early treatment. For patients who are highly suspected of malaria, even if plasmodium is not found in blood smear, antimalarial treatment can be tried out.
People who go abroad to do business, visit relatives or work in epidemic areas should take drugs to prevent malaria. The commonly used drug is pyrimethamine. However, pyrimethamine-resistant plasmodium strains have also appeared, so preventive drugs are also advocated, such as pyrimethamine or other antimalarial drugs plus weekly sulfanilamide and sulfanilamide enhancers. Malaria is spread by Anopheles mosquitoes, so when living and working in epidemic areas, you should sleep with mosquito nets, especially those impregnated with pyrethrins and other pesticides. Field workers can apply mosquito repellent to exposed parts of the body, but mosquito repellent has certain toxicity, so don't apply it around your mouth to avoid poisoning.