Is there drug resistant malaria?

The development of resistance to drugs poses one of the greatest threats to malaria control and results in increased malaria morbidity and mortality. Resistance to currently available antimalarial drugs has been confirmed in only two of the four human malaria parasite species, Plasmodium falciparum and P.

Which Plasmodium species is the most resistant to standard antimalarials?

P. falciparum is now highly resistant to chloroquine in most malaria-affected areas. Resistance to SP is also widespread and has developed much more rapidly.

What is the best treatment for resistant malaria?

Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). ACT is a combination of two or more drugs that work against the malaria parasite in different ways. This is usually the preferred treatment for chloroquine-resistant malaria. Examples include artemether-lumefantrine (Coartem) and artesunate-mefloquine.

What causes resistance malaria?

Resistance of malaria parasites arises from several factors, including overuse of antimalarial drugs for prophylaxis, inadequate or incomplete therapeutic treatments of active infections, a high level of parasite adaptability at the genetic and metabolic levels, and a massive proliferation rate that permits selected …

Does artemisinin have resistance?

“Full” artemisinin resistance has not been reported. Currently, even if patients are infected with artemisinin-partially resistant parasites, nearly all patients treated with an ACT are fully cured provided that the partner drug is highly efficacious in that geographical area.

How do you handle a drug resistant malaria case?

Multidrug resistant malaria : Drugs recommended for use are mefloquine, halofantrine and quinine with tetracycline. A three day course of clindamycin with quinine has proved effective in areas of endemic disease but there is insufficient evidence of their effectiveness in non-immune individuals [18].

Is artemisinin still used to treat malaria?

The artemisinin-based treatments are taking longer to clear infections. But they are still working — for now. Scientists have confirmed that malaria parasites in Africa have developed resistance to a key family of drugs used to protect against them.