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Background
Malaria is caused by a parasite which is transmitted via the bite of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells causing recurrent attacks of chills and fever. There are four species of malaria parasites that can infect humans: Plasmodium falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. vivax. Infection with P. falciparum, if not promptly treated, can be fatal. The majority of malaria deaths worldwide are due to P. falciparum.Plasmodium vivax and P. ovale, although rarely fatal, can develop dormant liver stages that can reactivate after symptom-free intervals of up to 2 to 4 years, respectively.
Malaria is most prevalent in warmer regions of the world – typically tropical and subtropical areas. In many parts of the world, the parasites have developed resistance to a number of malaria medicines. Malaria can be effectively treated with a variety of prescription drugs if diagnosed early. No vaccine against malaria is available. Travelers can protect themselves by using measures to avoid mosquito bites and by taking drugs to prevent malaria.
Below, we have provided information on malaria including clinical guidance, policies and directives, training material, and other resources, to assist healthcare providers and Service members and their families.
Table of Contents
Policies and Directives
DoD / Joint Forces
- HQ USPACOM JOC(SC), DTG: 252137Z Oct 12, USAPACOM FY13 Force Health Protection Guidance for USAPACOM AOR
- CENTCOM, USCINCCENT Individual Protection and Individual/Unit Deployment Policy MOD 11, 2 Dec 11 (Paragraph 15.L)
- HQ USSOUTHCOM J4(MC). DTG: 0511392 May 11.Medical Guidance for Deployment to SOUTHCOM (Paragraph 4.I. Malaria)
- ASD(HA) Memorandum, Policy Memorandum on the
Use of Mefloquine (Lariam®) as Malaria Prophylaxis, 4 Sep 09
- AFEB Memorandum, Antimalarials and Current Practice in the Military - 2003 - 13, 31 Jul 03
- ASD Memorandum, Anti-Malarial Medications, 17 Oct 02
Army
Navy / Marines
Clinical Guidance
Malaria Diagnosis and Control
- USAPHC TG 336, Malaria Field Guide - The Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Malaria in U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM), Feb 12
- Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center Pocket Guide to Malaria Prevention and Control, NMCPHC Technical Manual NMCPHC-TIM 6250.1 (2011)
- World Health Organization (WHO), Guidelines for the Treatment of Malaria, 2 ed, 2010
- VA Malaria Pocket Guide for Clinicians, Oct 10
- Armed Forces Pest Management Board, Diagnosing Medical Parasites: A Public Health Officers Guide to Assisting Laboratory and Medical Officers
- USAPHC Technical Guide 273, Diagnosis and Treatment of Diseases of Tactical Importance to U.S. Central Command, Oct 05
- CDC Malaria Information
- FDA/AABB Guidelines for Deferral of Blood Donors at Increased Risk for Malaria
Malaria Chemoprophylaxis
G6-PD Deficiency Screening
Forms and Measures
Fact Sheets
Malaria Diagnosis and Control
Malaria Chemoprophylaxis
Other Related Information
- DoD Malaria Stakeholders Meetings (Meetings of key DoD stakeholders to include COCOMs, services' headquarters and public health hubs, and the pest management, infectious disease, training and research communities for the purpose of finding Tri-Service solutions to reduce the malaria burden in DoD troops.)
- 30-31 May 2012 - Optimizing Preventive Strategies and Malaria Diagnostics to Reduce the Impact of Malaria on US Military Forces (The purpose of this meeting was to clarify issues regarding primaquine terminal chemoprophylaxis, assess operational challenges in malaria diagnostics, identify potential solutions to optimize malaria diagnostic modalities and to continue collaborations for development of clinical decision support tools and inventory of DOD resources.)
- 24-25 August 2011 - Prevention, Policies and Priorities to Reduce the Impact of Malaria on US Military Forces - Executive Summary (At this meeting, the group addressed gaps in surveillance, prevention and treatment programs; elucidated malaria-specific COCOM requirements; reached consensus and formulated the steps ahead in addressing chemoprophylaxis policy issues, improving compliance with personal protective measures, and collaborating to archive and produce clinical decision support tools.)
- 7 July 2010 - Malaria Surveillance and Epidemiology: Reducing the Impact on US Civilians and Military Forces - Executive Summary (At this initial meeting, the attendees addressed current malaria surveillance methods, epidemiological trends, and challenges facing the U.S. Government and international organizations and identified collaborative solutions to common challenges in malaria surveillance.)
- US AFRICOM Malaria Meetings
- US Army Medical Materiel Command, Arthropod Vector Rapid Detection Devices (AV-RDD) (Real-time 'dipstick' assays for use by preventive medicine personnel in determining where mosquitoes and sand flies are infected with malaria, dengue, and leishmaniasis in an area of operations.)
- On-Line Malaria Periodicals
- Malaria Journal (An Open Access, peer-reviewed, online journal monitored by Thomson Reuters (ISI), MEDLINE and PubMed.)
- Roll Back Malaria, Malaria in the News Page (RBM Malaria in the News contains the current malaria-related stories from a variety of media. The page also includes links to on-line malaria periodicals.)
- Malaria Issue, AFHSC Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, Vol 20 No 1, Jan 13
- Malaria Issue, AFHSC Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, Vol 19 No 1, Jan 12
- Update: Malaria U.S. Armed Forces, 2010, AFHSC Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, Vol 18 No 1, Jan 11
- Surveillance Snapshot: Malaria Among Deployers to Haiti, U.S. Armed Forces, 13 January- 30 June 2010, AFHSC Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, Vol 17 No 8, Aug 10
- VA Malaria Page
- VA Mefloquine (Lariam®) Page
- Update: Malaria U.S. Armed Forces, 2009, AFHSC Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, Vol 17 No 1, Jan 10
- Case Report: Fatal Outcome of Falciparum Malaria Acquired in Liberia, U.S. Navy Member, 2009, AFHSC Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, Vol 17 No 1, Jan 10
- Outbreak Report: Malaria in a U.S. Marine Reserve Unit Deployed to Benin, AFHSC Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, Vol 17 No 1, Jan 10
- Army Scales Back Use of Anti-Malaria Drug, Army Times Article, 23 Mar 09
- Military Reports 83 Malaria Infections in '08, Stars and Stripes Article, 16 Feb 09
- Update: Malaria U.S. Armed Forces, 2008, AFHSC Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, Vol 16 No 1, Jan 09
- Update: Malaria Among U.S. Military Members, 2007, AFHSC Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, Vol 15 No 2, Feb/Mar 08
- An Outbreak of Plasmodium vivax Malaria Among US Soldiers Returning from Afghanistan PowerPoint Presentation at FHP Conference Aug 07
- National Geographic Magazine Article, Bedlam in the Blood - Malaria, Jul 07
- Update: Malaria, U.S. Armed Forces, 2006, AMSA Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, Vol 13 No 1, Jan 07
- Malaria, US Army, 2005, AMSA Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR)Vol 12 No 1, Jan/Feb 06
- An Outbreak of Malaria in US Army Rangers Returning from Afghanistan, JAMA, Vol 293 No 2, 12 Jan 05
- DHCC Mefloquine/Lariam® Page
Education and Training
Research
- Malaria Research Organizations
- Cracking the Code: DoD’s Quest for a Malaria Vaccine, Military Health System Vital Signs E-Bulletin, 17 Aug 10
- Drugs for Preventing Malaria in Travellers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD006491
- Prevalence of Contraindications to Mefloquine Use Among USA Military Personnel Deployed to Afghanistan, Malaria Journal 2008, 7:30, 11 Feb 08
- Spatial Epidemiology of Plasmodium vivax, Afghanistan, Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal Vol 12 No 10, Oct 06
- Institute of Medicine Report, Battling Malaria: Strengthening the U.S. Military Malaria Vaccine Program, 25 May 06
- Institute of Medicine, Gulf War and Health Reports: Volume 5 Infectious Disease, 16 Oct 06
- Malaria Publications at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
- Malaria Research at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
- WHO/TDR (Tropical Disease Research) Malaria
- The Risk of Severe Depression, Psychosis or Panic Attacks with Prophylactic Antimalarials, Drug Safety 2004; 27 (3): 203-213
- Tolerability of Malaria Chemoprophylaxis in Non-immune Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa: Multicentre, Randomised, Double Blind, Four Arm Study; BMJ Vol 327, 8 Nov 03
Related Links
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