Objectives: 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.
Keywords: Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT); Chloroquine resistance; Imported malaria; Plasmodium vivax.