Sulfadoxine , a sulfa medicine, and pyrimethamine combination is used to treat malaria. This medicine may also be used to prevent malaria in people who are living in, or will be traveling to, an area where there is a chance of getting malaria. Sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine combination may also be taken with other medicines for malaria, or may be used for other problems as determined by your doctor.Since sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine combination may cause some serious side effects, it generally is used only to prevent or treat serious malaria infections in areas where it is known that other medicines may not work.