In Afghanistan, studies over the past 15 years have shown a high degree of Plasmodium
falciparum resistance to chloroquine. In 2003 the high failure rate of chloroquine against
falciparum malaria led the national malaria treatment programme to switch its recommended
first line drug treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria to
artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) in the form of
Artesunate/Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (AS+SP). Second line drug treatment is oral quinine (7
days).
For operational reasons, prior to recent studies (manuscript in preparation) there have been
no molecular data on P. falciparum SP resistance markers from within the borders of
Afghanistan. These studies have revealed early evidence of increasing SP resistance
(resistance polymorphisms with double DHFR & triple DHPS mutations). The aim of this study is
to conduct a focused, prospective study in Kunar for monitoring of the efficacy of the AS+SP
combination in this province, along with molecular studies of isolates from recruited
patients.
Phase:
N/A
Details
Lead Sponsor:
University of Oxford
Collaborator:
World Health Organization
Treatments:
Artemisinins Artesunate Fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination Pyrimethamine Sulfadoxine