ARTEMETHER TREATMENT OF RECRUDESCENT PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM MALARIA INCHILDREN

Intramuscular artemether given for five days was evaluated prospective ly in 32 patients with acute recrudescent Plasmodium falciparum malari a. All patients had experienced one or more treatment failures with on e or more courses of the following drugs: chloroquine, amodiaquine, su lphadoxine-pyrimethamine and erythromycin given alone or in combinatio n. There was a prompt response to treatment with fever and parasite cl earance times of 10.7 (3.6) h (range 6-24) and 32.3 (8.3) h (range 24- 48) respectively. Parasite reduction at 24 h was 91.2 (7.8)% (range 75 -100), The cure rate on day 14 was 100%. The drug was well tolerated. These results suggest that artemether is rapidly effective in acute re crudescent Plasmodium falciparum malaria and is without deleterious si de effects.