Journal article

Short-course primaquine for the radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria: a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled non-inferiority trial

Walter RJ Taylor, Kamala Thriemer, Lorenz von Seidlein, Prayoon Yuentrakul, Thanawat Assawariyathipat, Ashenafi Assefa, Sarah Auburn, Krisin Chand, Hoang Chau Nguyen, Phaik Yeong Cheah, Thanh Dong Le, Mehul Dhorda, Tamiru Shibru Degaga, Angela Devine, Lenny L Ekawati, Fahmi Fahmi, Asrat Hailu, Mohammad Anwar Hasanzai, Tinh Hien Tran, Htee Khu Show all

LANCET | ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC | Published : 2019

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Primaquine is the only widely used drug that prevents Plasmodium vivax malaria relapses, but adherence to the standard 14-day regimen is poor. We aimed to assess the efficacy of a shorter course (7 days) of primaquine for radical cure of vivax malaria. METHODS: We did a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, non-inferiority trial in eight health-care clinics (two each in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Vietnam). Patients (aged ≥6 months) with normal glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and presenting with uncomplicated vivax malaria were enrolled. Patients were given standard blood schizontocidal treatment and randomly assigned (2:2:1) to receive 7 days of superv..

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Grants

Awarded by Wellcome Trust


Awarded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation


Awarded by MRC


Funding Acknowledgements

UK Department for International Development, UK Medical Research Council, UK National Institute for Health Research, and the Wellcome Trust through the Joint Global Health Trials Scheme (MR/K007424/1) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1054404).