[How much primaquine is needed to eradicate Plasmodium vivax hypnozoites?].
BACKGROUND
Primaquine is now the only drug available to eradicate Plasmodium vivax malaria. The optimal dose of primaquine to prevent relapses of P. vivax remains under discussion.


METHODS
We describe three cases of P. vivax malaria from different geographical areas, in which a tolerance to standard doses of primaquine and, in some cases, to much higher doses has been observed.


CONCLUSIONS
P. vivax tolerance to primaquine is an emerging problem in daily practice. Reassessment of the primaquine dose required to eradicate P. vivax intrahepatic hypnozoites is needed.
Sección de Medicina Tropical, Centro de Salud Internacional, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain. jmunozg@clinic.ub.es
José
J
Muñoz
María
M
Velasco
David
D
Alonso
María Eugenia
ME
Valls
Manuel
M
Corachán
Joaquim
J
Gascón
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D006801:Humans; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000187:drug effects*; D011319:Primaquine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000962:Antimalarials; D011319:Primaquine