Antimalarial Drugs: Costs, Safety & Efficacy

Malaria is the leading parasitic infectious disease in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in terms of morbidity, hospitalisation and mortality. Pregnant women and children under the age of five years, especially infants, are the most vulnerable. In SSA where 90% of the global burden of malaria is concentrated, at least one child dies of malaria every 40 seconds. Intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) describes the administration of a full course of anti-malarial drugs to the population at risk at specified time intervals, irrespective of whether or not one is infected. Drug resistance, especially multi-drug resistance, and difficulties in eradicating the mosquito vector have been the basis of malaria resurgence over the past 30 years. In addition, massive problems with logistics, planning, allocation of resources and a lack of operational research have contributed greatly to the failure of malaria eradication. This book gathers the latest research from around the globe in this field.