Sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarial drugs in Hainan Island, China.

Pyronaridine and artesunate have been shown to be effective in falciparum malaria treatment. However, pyronaridine is rarely used in Hainan Island clinically, and artesunate is not widely used as a therapeutic agent. Instead, conventional antimalarial drugs, chloroquine and piperaquine, are used, explaining the emergence of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum.

[Efficacy of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine and artemether-lumefantrine in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Hainan, China].

Objective: To assess the therapeutic efficacy of the combinations dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine and artemether-lumefantrine in treating uncomplicated falciparum malaria cases in an area with high level resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine in Hainan Province.

Methods: Patients aged 1 to 60 with uncomplicated P. falciparum infection and parasite density 1,000 to 200,000 parasites/microl were enrolled following an informed consent.

[Study on the haplotypes of pfcrt polymorphism from Hainan Province].

Objective: To develop a method for comparing the haplotypes of pfcrt polymorphism of Hainan Province with those from other areas of the world.

Methods: Nested PCR was used to amplify the polymorphic region including codon 72 to 76 and 97 of pfcrt gene. The PCR products were digested by ApoI restriction endonuclease to determine the allelic types.

[Fluctuation in the resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine in China].

Objective: To investigate whether chloroquine-resistance of Plasmodium falciparum had changed after stopping or reducing the use of chloroquine as an antimalarial in Hainan and Yunnan provinces.

Methods: WHO standard in vitro microtest and 4-week in vivo test were used, assays were carried out in different time after stopping or reducing the use of chloroquine.

Results: In vitro test in Hainan indicated that the rate of chloroquine-resistant P.

[Therapeutic effect of dihydroartemisinin combined with naphthoquine phosphate in patients with falciparum malaria].

Objective: To observe the therapeutic efficacy of dihydroartemisinin combined with naphthoquine phosphate in patients with falciparum malaria.

Methods: Patients with Plasmodium falciparum were selected as the subjects, treated with a single dose of dihydroarteminisinin 160 mg combined with naphthoquine phosphate 400 mg (for adults) and followed up in preselective time by blood and temperature examination for 28 days after drug administration.

Results: 37 patients with falciparum malaria were treated and followed up.