Examples
You take chloroquine as a tablet (orally).
How It Works
Chloroquine prevents the development of
malaria
parasites in the blood. Doctors use it to both
prevent and treat malaria. Chloroquine does not destroy the Plasmodium (P.) vivax and
P. ovale parasites that may remain in the liver.
To prevent some strains of malaria, you take chloroquine once, 1 to 2
weeks prior to travel to an area where malaria is present, and then weekly
while you are in the area, and weekly for 4 weeks after you depart from the
area.
To treat malaria, you take chloroquine at several-hour
intervals and at a higher dosage than when it's taken to prevent
malaria.
Why It Is Used
Chloroquine is the medicine of
choice to prevent and treat malaria in some areas of the world.
Chloroquine is effective on all five species of parasites, including some
strains of P. falciparum. But in many areas
P. falciparum is resistant to chloroquine, and other medicines must be
used.
Chloroquine can also be used to prevent and treat
P. falciparum and P. vivax
infections in areas where drug resistance to chloroquine has not been
confirmed. These areas include Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of the
Middle East.
1
Other parts of the world have confirmed
resistance to chloroquine.
How Well It Works
Chloroquine is an effective
medicine to prevent and treat a malaria infection caused by P. ovale or P. malariae parasites. But how well it
works depends on how resistant the parasites are in the geographic location
where the malaria infection occurred.
Medication therapy to
prevent malaria is most effective if you take the correct dosage regularly.
It's easier to remember if you take your weekly dosage with meals on the same
day of the week each week, such as every Monday at lunch.
Side Effects
When you take chloroquine to prevent
malaria, side effects may include:
- Nausea.
- Diarrhea.
- Dizziness.
- Sleep
disturbances.
- Headaches.
- Temporary hair
loss.
- Worsening of
psoriasis
, a chronic skin condition.
Taking the medicine with meals may help you to avoid
stomach upset.
When you take chloroquine to treat malaria, side
effects may include:
- Stomach (gastrointestinal)
upset.
- Blurred vision or seeing flashes of
light.
- Headaches.
See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug
Reference is not available in all systems.)
What To Think About
Chloroquine is the most effective
medication for preventing and treating a malaria infection caused by
P. ovale, P. malariae, or
P. knowlesi parasites.
In some areas where
malaria is common, travelers are sometimes advised to get a rabies vaccine if
they are staying longer than 30 days. If you are taking chloroquine, make sure
the rabies vaccine is injected into your muscle (intramuscular). Chloroquine
can lessen the effectiveness of this vaccine when it is injected into the skin
(intradermal).
Medicines to prevent malaria destroy the malaria
parasite once it enters the bloodstream. To completely rid yourself of the
parasite, take the medicine for 4 weeks after you leave the area where malaria
is present.
If you are pregnant or have other medical
considerations (very young or advanced age, other illnesses), talk to your
doctor before taking chloroquine.
Complete the
new medication information form (PDF)
(What is a
PDF
document?)
to help you understand this medication.
References
Citations
-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2008).
Yellow Book 2008. Available online:
wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/ybtoc.aspx.
