[Therapy for malaria and amoebiasis]

Treatment of malaria depends on the infecting Plasmodium species. In Plasmodium falciparum malaria the treatment also depends on whether chloroquine resistances occur and whether the course is uncomplicated or complicated. Uncomplicated cases are cared for with chloroquine and with mefloquine or halofantrine when the patient comes from areas with chloroquine resistances. Patients with complicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria must get chinine and doxycycline. A careful fluid balance is extremely important in order to prevent noncardiac pulmonary edemas. Luminal infections with pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica are treated with diloxanide furoate, luminal infections with non-pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica (= E. dispar) do not have to be treated. If differentiation is not possible, all asymptomatic cyst passers must get treatment. Patients with invasive amebiasis (amebic colitis and amebic liver abscess) have to be treated with metronidazole, followed by diloxanide furoate.