Abstract
Bangladesh faces increasing levels of chloroquine resistance, and drug sensitivity to sulfadoxine-pyremethamine is already compromised. Therefore, the Ministry of Health recently changed the national treatment guidelines to artemisinin-based combination therapies. The purpose of this study was to determine the baseline therapeutic efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine used as a six-dose regimen for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Sixty-seven patients were enrolled in the study; the cure rate in a 42-day follow-up after an adjustment by polymerase chain reaction was 94.3%. The treatment led to rapid fever (mean ± SD ± 25.82 ± 12.14 hours) and parasite (30.36 ± 19.43 hours) clearance. These data suggest that artemether-lumefantrine is a highly efficacious and well-tolerated treatment for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in Bangladesh.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 39-41 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene |
Volume | 76 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2007 |
Externally published | Yes |