Severe Malaria and Artesunate Treatment, Norway

Kristine Mørch,Åse Berg,Steinar Skrede,Rafael A.M Leiva,Jon Sundal,Nina Langeland,Håkon Sjursen,Øystein Strand,Mogens Jensenius,Jørn-Åge Longva,Oona Dunlop

doi:10.3201/eid1411.080636

Abstract

Severe Malaria and Artesunate Treatment, Norway

Highlights

With the exception of 1 patient who had become infected while in Myanmar, all patients acquired falciparum malaria in West Africa (Table)
In the United States, artesunate for infusion may be obtained as an investigational drug from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in the European Union, artesunate recently received the Orphan Medicinal Drug Designation from the European Medicines Agency and may be obtained from IDIS Pharma
If falciparum malaria is acquired at the Cambodia–Thailand border region, artesunate resistance should be considered; except for this region, where mefloquine resistance is a problem, artesunate is considered to be an efficacious drug with limited reports of resistance

Summary

Introduction

With the exception of 1 patient who had become infected while in Myanmar, all patients acquired falciparum malaria in West Africa (Table). A major obstacle for the use of IV artesunate is its poor availability outside Asia and the fact that its use is not approved in many countries. In the United States, artesunate for infusion may be obtained as an investigational drug from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Results

Conclusion