Efficacy evaluation on eight-day regimen of chloroquine and primaquine in patients infected with Plasmodium vivax

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of 8-day regimen of chloroquine-primaquine for treatment of Plasmodium vivax malaria at China-Myanmar border area. Methods To facilitate tracking, the uncomplicated vivax malaria infected patients who met the inclusion requirements and agreed to participate in the study were enrolled. Adults were given chloroquine orally at a total dose of 1 200 mg divided into 3 d as 600 mg at D0 followed by 300 mg daily at D1 and D2, combined with primaquine orally at a total dose of 180 mg(base)divided into 8 d as 22.5 mg/d from D0 to D7. The first day of patient enrollement was regarded as D0 and blood smear were examined on D0, D1, D2, D3, D7, D14, D21 and D28. Results Total of 67 patientswere enrolled for the study and 57 of them completed the clinical observation of 28 days. The mean asexual parasite clearance time was 41.05 ± 14.01 h, and the mean gametocyte clearance time was 20.25 ± 12.86 h, the mean fever clearance time was 26.29 ± 10.72 h. No recurrence of the parasites occured till D28. All 57 patients were cured clinically and parasitologically. Conclusion The patients infected with Plasmodium vivax malaria at China-Myanmar border areas are sensitive to 8-day regimen of chloroquine-primaquine. Key words: Chloroquine; Primaquine; Plasmodium vivax; 8-day regimen; China-Myanmar border