Malaria treatment failures after artemisinin-based therapy in three expatriates: could improved manufacturer information help to decrease the risk of treatment failure ?

Abstract Background Artemisinin-containing therapies are highly effective against Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Insufficient numbers of tablets and inadequate package inserts result in sub-optimal dosing and possible treatment failure. This study reports the case of three, non-immune, expatriate wo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Malaria Journal
Main Authors: Loutan Louis, Chappuis François, Jackson Yves, Taylor Walter
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: BMC 2006
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-5-81
https://doaj.org/article/8fba0ce96a9a414ab5109dd65ab6a35d
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Summary:Abstract Background Artemisinin-containing therapies are highly effective against Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Insufficient numbers of tablets and inadequate package inserts result in sub-optimal dosing and possible treatment failure. This study reports the case of three, non-immune, expatriate workers with P . falciparum acquired in Africa, who failed to respond to artemisinin-based therapy. Sub-therapeutic dosing in accordance with the manufacturers' recommendations was the probable cause. Method Manufacturers information and drug content included in twenty-five artemisinin-containing specialities were reviewed. Results A substantial number of manufacturers do not follow current WHO recommendations regarding treatment duration and doses. Conclusion This study shows that drug packaging and their inserts should be improved.