Short report: in vivo sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to halofantrine in southern central Vietnam.
Drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum is present in Vietnam. We assessed the in vivo sensitivity of P. falciparum to halofantrine in two villages in the southern part of central Vietnam. Halofantrine (8 mg/kg x 3 doses) was administered to 37 patients with either P. falciparum (n = 32) or mixed P. falciparum/P. vivax malaria (n = 5). End points were parasite sensitivity or resistance (RI/RII/RIII) determined by parasite clearance, persistence, or recurrence during 28 days of follow-up. By day 28, 31 (93.9%) of 33 (95% confidence interval = 79.8-99.2%) patients were sensitive. Two patients had recurrent P. falciparum parasitemia on days 14 and 21. Halofantrine effectively treated uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in these Vietnamese patients.
Doan
Hanh Nhan
HN
U. S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Taylor
Walter R J
WR
Nguyen
Dieu Thuong
DT
Tran
Thi Uyen
TU
Fryauff
David J
DJ
Susanti
Ika
I
Gómez-Saladín
Eduardo
E
Le
Dinh Cong
DC
Baird
J Kevin
JK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D012008:Recurrence; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology
D000962:Antimalarials; D010616:Phenanthrenes; C023768:halofantrine