title: In Vivo Efficacy and Tolerability of Artesunate-Azithromycin for the Treatment of Falciparum Malaria in Vietnam.
abstract: Safe and effective antimalarial drugs are required for the treatment of pregnant women. We report a 3-day regimen of artesunate (4 mg/kg/day)-azithromycin (25 mg/kg/day) (ASAZ) to be efficacious (polymerase chain reaction-corrected cure rate of 96.7%) and well tolerated in the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in children (N = 11) and adults (N = 19), in Vietnam in 2010. In comparison, the cure rate for artesunate (4 mg/kg on day 0, 2 mg/kg on days 1-6) was 90.0% in children (N = 7) and adults (N = 23). Because azithromycin is considered safe in pregnancy, our findings provide further evidence that ASAZ should be evaluated for the treatment of pregnant women with malaria.
authors.affiliation: Malaria Department, Military Institute of Preventive Medicine, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Nguyen Chinh
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Phong
authors.affiliation: Malaria Department, Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology, Quy Nhon, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Huynh Hong
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Quang
authors.affiliation: Malaria Department, Military Institute of Preventive Medicine, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Nguyen Xuan
authors.initials: NX
authors.lastname: Thanh
authors.affiliation: Malaria Department, Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology, Quy Nhon, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Trieu Nguyen
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Trung
authors.affiliation: Malaria Department, Military Institute of Preventive Medicine, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Bui
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Evaluation, Australian Army Malaria Institute, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: G Dennis
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Shanks
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Evaluation, Australian Army Malaria Institute, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chavchich
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Evaluation, Australian Army Malaria Institute, Brisbane, Australia. mike.edstein@defence.gov.au.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Edstein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077332:Artesunate; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D014744:Vietnam; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000077332:Artesunate; D017963:Azithromycin