Loading...
Malaria is becoming increasingly drug resistant, especially in Southeast Asia. Might adding a third drug to any of three standard artemisinin-based combination treatments slow resistance? Would doing so be safe and tolerable?
To find out, investigators randomized 1100 patients (median age, 23 years; 78% male) with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in eight countries to receive one of a pair of oral treatments, administered under direct observation. The pairs of treatments varied by site:
In Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar patients received dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (D-P) or D-P plus mefloquine.
At some sites in Cambodia patients received artesunate-mefloquine or D-P plus mefloquine.
In Laos, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, and th…