Mefloquine-resistant falciparum malaria on the Thai-Burmese border.
Mefloquine is the treatment of choice for uncomplicated multiresistant falciparum malaria, and in combination with sulphadoxine and pyrimethamine (MSP) at a single dose of 15/30/1.5 mg/kg, respectively, has been used in Thailand for the past 6 years. In 1985-86, MSP cured over 98% of 5192 patients with falciparum malaria on the Thai-Burmese border. 4 years later we studied the efficacy of MSP in 395 patients at the same location. The cure rate at 28 days was 70.8% (95% Cl 67-77.2%). The proportion of early treatment failures (in whom parasitaemia did not clear) had risen from 0.27 to 3.7% (p less than 0.0001). Failure rates were 50% in children under 6 years old, 29% in the 6-15 age group, and 19% in adults (p less than 0.001). Patients with early treatment failure were retreated with 25 mg/kg mefloquine, but 27% had a further recrudescence of infection within 28 days. The mean (95% Cl) serum mefloquine concentration at the time of first recrudescence was 638 (546-730) ng/ml, a value previously associated with successful treatment. Mefloquine concentrations were no lower in those with recrudescent infections than in age-matched successfully treated patients, suggesting that pharmacokinetic factors were not responsible for the high treatment-failure rate. Plasmodium falciparum has developed resistance to mefloquine rapidly, despite the addition of sulphadoxine and pyrimethamine and strict control of drug administration. The MSP combination should now be abandoned.
Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Nosten
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ter Kuile
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T
Chongsuphajaisiddhi
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Luxemburger
H K
HK
Webster
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Edstein
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Phaipun
K L
KL
Thew
N J
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White
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D015767:Mefloquine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002052:Myanmar / Q000453:epidemiology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012036:Refugees; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
D004338:Drug Combinations; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D015767:Mefloquine; D011739:Pyrimethamine