Editing Malaria (section)

===Medications===
{{Main|Malaria prophylaxis}}

There are a number of medications that can help prevent or interrupt malaria in travellers to places where infection is common. Many of these medications are also used in treatment. In places where ''Plasmodium'' is resistant to one or more medications, three medications—[[mefloquine]], [[doxycycline]], or the combination of [[atovaquone/proguanil]] (''Malarone'')—are frequently used for prevention.<ref name="Tickell-Painter-2017" /> Doxycycline and the atovaquone/proguanil are better tolerated while mefloquine is taken once a week.<ref name="Tickell-Painter-2017">{{cite journal | vauthors = Tickell-Painter M, Maayan N, Saunders R, Pace C, Sinclair D | title = Mefloquine for preventing malaria during travel to endemic areas | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2017 | issue = 10 | pages = CD006491 | date = October 2017 | pmid = 29083100 | pmc = 5686653 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD006491.pub4 }}</ref> Areas of the world with [[chloroquine]]-sensitive malaria are uncommon.<ref>{{cite web|title=Drug resistance in the Malaria Endemic World|url=https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/malaria_worldwide/reduction/drug_resistance.html|website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention|access-date=4 January 2018|archive-date=9 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209163322/https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/malaria_worldwide/reduction/drug_resistance.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Antimalarial mass drug administration to an entire population at the same time may reduce the risk of contracting malaria in the population, however the effectiveness of mass drug administration may vary depending on the prevalence of malaria in the area.<ref name="Shah-2021">{{cite journal | vauthors = Shah MP, Hwang J, Choi L, Lindblade KA, Kachur SP, Desai M | title = Mass drug administration for malaria | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2021 | issue = 9 | pages = CD008846 | date = September 2021 | pmid = 34585740 | pmc = 8479726 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD008846.pub3 }}</ref> Other factors such as drug administration plus other protective measures such as mosquito control, the proportion of people treated in the area, and the risk of reinfection with malaria may play a role in the effectiveness of mass drug treatment approaches.<ref name="Shah-2021" />

The protective effect does not begin immediately, and people visiting areas where malaria exists usually start taking the drugs one to two weeks before they arrive, and continue taking them for four weeks after leaving (except for atovaquone/proguanil, which only needs to be started two days before and continued for seven days afterward).<ref name="Freedman-2008" /> The use of preventive drugs is often not practical for those who live in areas where malaria exists, and their use is usually given only to pregnant women and short-term visitors. This is due to the cost of the drugs, [[adverse effect (medicine)|side effects]] from long-term use, and the difficulty in obtaining antimalarial drugs outside of wealthy nations.<ref name="Fernando-2011" /> During pregnancy, medication to prevent malaria has been found to improve the weight of the baby at birth and decrease the risk of [[anaemia]] in the mother.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Radeva-Petrova D, Kayentao K, ter Kuile FO, Sinclair D, Garner P | title = Drugs for preventing malaria in pregnant women in endemic areas: any drug regimen versus placebo or no treatment | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2014 | issue = 10 | pages = CD000169 | date = October 2014 | pmid = 25300703 | pmc = 4498495 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD000169.pub3 }}</ref> The use of preventive drugs where malaria-bearing mosquitoes are present may encourage the development of partial resistance.<ref name="Turschner-2009" />

Giving antimalarial drugs to infants through intermittent preventive therapy can reduce the risk of having malaria infection, hospital admission, and anaemia.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Esu EB, Oringanje C, Meremikwu MM | title = Intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in infants | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2021 | issue = 7 | pages = CD011525 | date = July 2021 | pmid = 34273901 | pmc = 8406727 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD011525.pub3 }}</ref>

Mefloquine is more effective than sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in preventing malaria for HIV-negative pregnant women. Cotrimoxazole is effective in preventing malaria infection and reduce the risk of getting anaemia in HIV-positive women.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = González R, Pons-Duran C, Piqueras M, Aponte JJ, Ter Kuile FO, Menéndez C | title = Mefloquine for preventing malaria in pregnant women | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 11 | issue = 11 | pages = CD011444 | date = November 2018 | pmid = 30480761 | pmc = 6517148 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD011444.pub3 | collaboration = Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group }}</ref> Giving Dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine and mefloquine in addition to the daily cotrimoxazole to HIV-positive pregnant women seem to be more efficient in preventing malaria infection than cotrimoxazole alone.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Pons-Duran C, Wassenaar MJ, Yovo KE, Marín-Carballo C, Briand V, González R |date=26 Sep 2024 |title=Intermittent preventive treatment regimens for malaria in HIV-positive pregnant women |journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |volume= 2024|issue= 9|pages= CD006689|doi=10.1002/14651858.CD006689.pub3 |pmc=11426187 |pmid=39324693 |collaboration=Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group}}</ref>

Prompt treatment of confirmed cases with artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) may also reduce transmission.<ref>{{cite web|title=WHO gives indoor use of DDT a clean bill of health for controlling malaria|url=https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2006/pr50/en/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022215922/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2006/pr50/en/|archive-date=2012-10-22|publisher=WHO|vauthors=Palmer J}}</ref>