Advances in the management of cerebral malaria in adults

Cerebral malaria continues to be a substantial cause of death and disability worldwide. Although many studies deal with cerebral malaria in children, only very few pertain to adults. Presence of multiorgan failure makes the prognosis poor. Various mechanisms in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria and the role of adjuvant therapy will be discussed.

Artemisinin-based therapies have improved antiparasitic treatment, but in-hospital mortality still remains high, as do neurological sequelae. Several recent studies have given new insights in the pathophysiology of cerebral malaria particularly the role of immune mechanisms in disease progression. Recent findings have identified several potential candidates for adjuvant neuroprotective treatment. Recombinant human erythropoietin has shown beneficial effect in experimental cerebral malaria and will soon enter into large clinical trials.

Advances have been made in terms of antiparasitic treatment, but the identification of a well tolerated and effective adjuvant treatment to increase survival and reduce brain damage is still pending. The search for new approaches is a major challenge, not least of which is that mechanisms of malaria pathogenesis remain incompletely understood. The paper reviews newer information on pathogenesis and strategies in the management of cerebral malaria in adults.