Efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine as a treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax malaria in eastern Sudan

• Published in: Malaria Journal
• Main Authors: Abdallah Tajeldin M, Ali Abdel Aziem A, Bakri Mohammed, Gasim Gasim I, Musa Imad R, Adam Ishag
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2012
• Subjects: Efficacy; Artemether-lumefantrine; Malaria; P. vivax; Sudan; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-11-404; https://doaj.org/article/155afe592b5d4cc981e56a9b4690a840

Abstract Background Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is the treatment of choice for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in most areas of the world, where malaria is endemic, including Sudan. However, few published data are available on the use of ACT for treatment of P. vivax malaria. Methods This study was conducted at a health centre in Kassala, eastern Sudan, from October to December 2011. Patients with uncomplicated P. vivax malaria received artemether-lumefantrine (AL) tablets (containing 20mg artemether and 120 mg lumefantrine) and were monitored for 28 days. Results Out of the 43 cases enrolled in this study, 38 completed the 28-day follow-up. Their mean age was 25.1 years (SD: 1.5). On day 3 following AL treatment, all of the patients were afebrile and aparasitaemic. By day 28, all 38 patients exhibited adequate clinical and parasitological responses to AL treatment. The cure rate was 100% and 88.4% for the per protocol analysis andfor the intention to treat analysis, respectively. Mild adverse effects (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness and/or rash) that resolved spontaneously were observed in four (10.5%) of the patients. Conclusion AL combination therapy was fully effective for treatment of P. vivax malaria in the study in eastern Sudan. Trial registration Trial. Gov: NCT01625871