Update on the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of artemether-lumefantrine combination therapy for treatment of uncomplicated malaria.
Artemether-lumefantrine is one of the artemisisnin-based combination therapies recommended for treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria. The drug combination is highly efficacious against sensitive and multidrug resistant falciparum malaria. It offers the advantage of rapid clearance of parasites by artemether and the slower elimination of residual parasites by lumefantrine. The combination can be used in all populations except pregnant mothers in the first trimester where safety is still uncertain. There are still concerns about safety and pharmacokinetics of the drug combination in children, especially infants, pregnant mothers and drug interactions with mainly non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors used for HIV therapy.
Byakika-Kibwika
Pauline
P
Infectious Diseases Institute and Infectious Diseases Network for Treatment and Research in Africa (INTERACT), Faculty of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda;
Lamorde
Mohammed
M
Mayanja-Kizza
Harriet
H
Merry
Concepta
C
Colebunders
Bob
B
Van Geertruyden
Jean-Pierre
JP