Effects of different antimalarial drugs on gametocyte carriage in P. vivax malaria.
The gametocytocidal and asexual stage activities of eight antimalarial and eight antibiotic-containing regimens were evaluated in 349 adult patients with P. vivax malaria. Gametocytemia was found in 63% of patients (22% before and 41% after treatment). The median (range) gametocyte clearance time was 24 hours (range, 2-504 hours) and correlated with asexual parasite clearance time (r = 0.52, P < 0.001). Gametocytemia in vivax malaria was more common in patients with admission parasitemia > 10,000/microL and after treatment with drugs which have weak antimalarial activity, and was also associated with an increased rate of vivax reappearance (29.4% versus 14.1%, P = 0.002). Sexual stage activities corresponded with asexual stage activity for all tested regimens. Treatment with potent antimalarial drugs reduces the transmission potential of P. vivax.
Pukrittayakamee
Sasithon
S
Department of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Imwong
Mallika
M
Singhasivanon
Pratap
P
Stepniewska
Kasia
K
Day
Nicholas J
NJ
White
Nicholas J
NJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D000962:Antimalarials