Malaria in the world. What needs to know a paediatrician? (II): diagnosis, prevention and treatment

Malaria affects poor tropical and subtropical countries, but it is observed as an imported illness, with increasing frequency in Spanish hospitals. The situation of malaria in the world is far from being controlled, with 350 to 500 million clinical cases per year and more than one million child deaths, predominantly in Africa. The adequate understanding of malaria requires a multidisciplinary approach, integrating biological, clinical, epidemiological and socio- economic knowledge. The Spanish paediatrician must be prepared to deal with an unfamiliar disease, and whose potential severity allows no diagnostic delay. In this article we describe some basic concepts about the illness, with the objective of giving a global view which allows the paediatrician, whether at the hospital or primary health care level, to correctly understand the diagnosis, management and prevention of the illness. The text has been divided into two sections. In the first section, the epidemiological, biological and clinical aspects of malaria were exposed. This second section covers the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of malaria.