Malaria is not always gone for good after treatment. Have you ever wondered why it comes back? You should know the difference between reoccurrence and recrudescence and how to protect yourself from both!
Malaria can be a stubborn disease, sometimes returning even after successful treatment.
It is important to understand the difference between reoccurrence and recrudescence to manage expectations when it comes to malaria treatment.
Reoccurrence
This refers to the return of malaria after complete clearance from the bloodstream
This can happen if you get bitten by another infected mosquito, introducing a new malaria infection.
It’s essentially a new infection
Therefore if you are exposed to further mosquito bites, you have a high chance of coming down with malaria reoccurrence.
Recrudescence
This happens when malaria symptoms come back without a new mosquito bite. It is due to the survival of a small number of parasites that were not entirely cleared during treatment. Yes, some may refuse to leave.
Recrudescence usually occurs when treatment is not good enough, drug resistance, or a poor immune response to the parasites, which allows them to remain hidden and later cause a re-infection.
Possible malaria parasite infections include:
1. Plasmodium falciparum
2. Plasmodium vivax
3. Plasmodium ovale
4. Plasmodium malariae
Infections with Plasmodium falciparum, the most dangerous type of malaria are prone to recrudescence. If not fully treated, these parasites can persist in the body for months and lead to a relapse of symptoms.
However, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale can cause what’s called relapse. Another type of reoccurrence
This is because they have a dormant liver stage that can reactivate months or even years after the initial infection.
Where you live matters
People who live in areas with high malaria transmission are more at risk of reoccurrence due to repeated exposure to infected mosquitoes.
Malaria is prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central and South America and the Western Pacific Islands.
While recrudescence is a sign that treatment was not effective enough to fully eradicate the parasite.
But you can avoid this
-It is important to complete your full treatment for malaria, even if you feel better before finishing the prescribed medication.
Incomplete treatment increases the chances of recrudescence and the risk of drug resistance.
– Use insecticide-treated nets
– wear protective clothing
– use antimalarial drugs if travelling to high-risk areas
– treat infections early, and ensure it is effective in preventing both reoccurrence and recrudescence.
Don’t hesitate to revisit your doctor if the symptoms of the disease come back after treatment
By Pharm Greatman @OGreat6
