Absence of malaria mortality in villagers with chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum treated with chloroquine.

Abstract

We carried out a series of malaria studies in Robek , Flores, Indonesia, a coastal village of 900 farmers and fishermen where malaria is hyperendemic by parasite rate and holoendemic by spleen rate. The studies showed that: (i) 28 of 31 isolates (90%) of Plasmodium falciparum were resistant to chloroquine in vitro, (ii) 3 of 12 isolates (25%) were resistant at the R-11 level in vivo, (iii) 376 P. falciparum infections occurred in 301 individuals during one year, (iv) no villagers who were treated with chloroquine for P. falciparum infections during the year died, and (v) increasing the dosage of chloroquine base from 15 to 25 to 37.5 mg/kg led to improved clearing of parasitaemia. We conclude that chloroquine can still be used as the primary antimalarial in Robek , but the dosage may have to be increased to clear parasitaemia.

• Authors: S L Hoffman, S Masbar, P R Hussein, A Soewarta, S Harun, H A Marwoto, J R Campbell, L Smrkovski, Purnomo, I Wiady
• Journal: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg) Vol. 78 Issue 2 Pg. 175-8 ( 1984) ISSN: 0035-9203 [Print] England
• PMID: 6380012 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Chloroquine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Chloroquine (therapeutic use)
• Drug Administration Schedule
• Drug Resistance, Microbial
• Humans
• Indonesia
• Malaria (drug therapy, mortality)
• Middle Aged
• Plasmodium falciparum (drug effects)