Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium malariae in south Sumatra, Indonesia

Authors

Jason D. Maguire, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit # 2Follow
Iwa W. Sumawinata, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit # 2
Sofyan Masbar, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit # 2
Budhi Laksana, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit # 2
Purnomo Prodjodipuro, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit # 2
Ika Susanti
Priyanto Sismadi, Indonesian Ministry of Health Institute of Health Research and Development
Nurlis Mahmud, District Health Service
Michael J. Bangs, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit # 2
J. Kevin Baird, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit # 2Follow

Date of this Version

2002

Citation

Published in Lancet (2002) 360: 58–60.

Abstract

Oral chloroquine is the treatment of choice for uncomplicated Plasmodium malariae infections worldwide. We did a prospective 28-day in-vivo assessment of the efficacy of chloroquine for treatment of P. malariae on Legundi Island in Lampung Bay, Sumatra, Indonesia. Of 28 patients, one had recurrent parasitaemia on day 28, and two had persistent parasitaemia to day 8. Whole-blood chloroquine and desethylchloroquine concentrations were at ordinarily effective levels (≥100 μg/L) on day 8 in both cases of persistent parasitaemia. These findings suggest that clinical resistance to chloroquine by P. malariae occurs in the Indonesian archipelago of southeast Asia.