Improved Access and Targeted Mass Treatment Reduce Malaria Incidence in Myanmar

In four townships in eastern Myanmar, researchers conducted an observational study to assess providing early malaria diagnosis and treatment in all villages (population ≈365,000) and mass drug treatment in high-incidence villages. With local community involvement, they established malaria rapid diagnostic testing at >1220 community-based posts and treated infected patients with artemether-lumefantrine plus a single, low dose of primaquine. Using ultrasensitive quantitative polymerase chain reaction surveys, they identified hotspot villages: those with malaria prevalence of ≥40% and at least 20% of positives being falciparum. Hotspot residents received dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine plus single-dose primaquine monthly for 3 months and were t…