Five cases of Plasmodium vivax malaria treated with artemisinin derivatives: the advantages of a unified approach to treatment.

Objective: In endemic countries with a high level of chloroquine resistance, Plasmodium vivax malaria is associated with high morbidity and mortality. In these areas, the dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine combination resulted in clinical response, a more rapid clearance of parasitaemia, compared to chloroquine therapies, and reduction of recrudescence or reinfection.

Methods: We describe five cases of Plasmodium vivax malaria in returning travelers treated with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine.

Results: All patients showed the early parasite clearance and no side effects. Our preliminary results suggest that the dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine combination is effective and safe even in imported cases.

Conclusions: A unified treatment policy using the artemisinin combination therapy should be adopted even in non-endemic countries and larger studies are underway to support this strategy.