Artemether-lumefantrine versus artemisinin-naphthoquine in Papua New Guinean children with uncomplicated malaria: a six months post-treatment follow-up study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In a recent trial of artemisinin-naphthoquine (artemisinin-NQ) and artemether-lumefantrine (AM-LM) therapy in young children from Papua New Guinea (PNG), there were no treatment failures in artemisinin-NQ-treated children with Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium vivax compared with 2.2% and 30.0%, respectively, in AM-LM-treated children during 42 days of follow-up. To determine whether, consistent with the long elimination half-life of NQ, this difference in efficacy would be more durable, clinical episodes of malaria were assessed in a subset of trial patients followed for six months post-treatment. METHODS: For children completing trial procedures and who were assessable at six..