Are artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) as effective as chloroquine for treating P. vivax malaria? Evidence Update, Malaria Series, October 2011

From:
Department for International Development
Published
1 January 2011
Document Type:
Briefing
Theme:
Health
Authors:
Jones, B.

Abstract

Each Evidence Update is a 2-page summary of a Cochrane Review of healthcare interventions relevant to people in low-income and middle-income countries. This Evidence Update is adapted from Sinclair D, Gogtay N, Brand F, Olliaro P. Artemisinin-based combination therapy for treating uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax malaria. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 7. Art.No.:CD008492. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD008492.pub2.

What does the research say about the effects of ACTs for treating P. vivax malaria?
In areas where chloroquine is still effective:

  • Treatment with an ACT probably reduces the number of people who still have fever after 24 hours of treatment
  • Treatment with an ACT clears the malaria parasite from the blood quicker than chloroquine
  • ACTs and chloroquine are similarly effective at treating the blood stage of P. vivax malaria

Citation

Jones, B. Are artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) as effective as chloroquine for treating P. vivax malaria? Evidence Update, Malaria Series, October 2011. Effective Health Care Research Programme Consortium, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK (2011) 2 pp.

Are artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) as effective as chloroquine for treating P. vivax malaria? Evidence Update, Malaria Series, October 2011

Published 1 January 2011
Contents