Malaria is a life-threatening
parasitic disease caused by various forms of the protozoa Plasmodium and is transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito. The
parasitic infection is endemic in 90 countries, with approximately 500 million cases reported annually and an estimated annual mortality of 1.5-2.7 million individuals. Historically, the use of
antimalarial drugs has been promising for the
chemoprophylaxis and treatment of
malaria, mitigating the annual mortality rate. Notably, these
antimalarial drugs have been associated with various adverse effects, including gastrointestinal upset and
headaches. However, the adverse cutaneous manifestations these
antimalarial drugs may lead to are poorly documented and understood. We aim to describe the lesser-studied adverse cutaneous pathologies of
malaria treatment to better educate physicians on the proper treatment of their patients. Our narrative review describes the
skin manifestations associated with specific
antimalarial treatments and their associated prognoses and treatments. The cutaneous pathologies discussed include aquagenic
pruritus (AP), palmoplantar exfoliation, Steven-Johnson syndrome,
toxic epidermal necrolysis,
cutaneous vasculitis,
psoriasis,
ecchymosis, and tropical lichenoid
dermatitis. Further studies and vigilant documentation of the cutaneous adverse events of
antimalarial drugs need to be performed and emphasized to prevent potential life-threatening adverse outcomes.