title: Impact of Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapy on Falciparum Malaria in Urban Kolkata: A Clinic-Based Report.
abstract: In India, artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT; specifically artesunate + sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine) has been implemented for uncomplicated falciparum malaria since 2010. But for vivax malaria drug policy remained unchanged i.e., chloroqine and primaquine. We observed the impact of this intervention in urban Kolkata by analyzing data from the Malaria Clinic from 2001 to 2013. In Kolkata, we observed that Plasmodium vivax was perennial, whereas P. falciparum infection was seasonal. Before ACT implementation, the proportion of P. falciparum was as high as 50% and it steadily decreased during 4 successive years post intervention. No change was observed in the number of P. vivax cases. ACT may be an effective measure in reducing falciparum malaria cases. Artemisinin-derivative combination therapies should be explored in vivax malaria to reduce the overall burden of malaria.
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Microbiology, Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine.
authors.forename: Pabitra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Swagata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ganguly
authors.forename: Soma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.forename: Pratip K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Kundu
authors.forename: Dilip K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Bera
authors.forename: Nandita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.forename: Ardhendu K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Maji
mesh_terms: D037621:Artemisinins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D037621:Artemisinins; C031327:artemisinin