How Serious Is Artemisinin Partial Resistance in African Malaria Parasites?

Partial resistance of malaria parasites to artemisinin (the backbone of combination treatment) is spreading in sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the most intense malaria transmission. This results in delayed parasite clearance and relies on the longer-acting partner drug to clear infection. Resistance in a partner drug such as piperaquine leads to treatment failure (as has already occurred in southeast Asia). To assess the clinical implications of artemisinin partial resistance (ART-R) on the most vulnerable population (young children with complicated malaria in endemic regions who are initially treated with parenteral artesunate monotherapy followed by oral combination therapy [artemether-lumefantrine]), investigators conducted a prospec…