Severe unresolving Plasmodium falciparum malaria following artemisinin combination therapy: Emergence of drug resistance in Saudi Arabia

IA Al-Zaydani, A Al-Hakami, A Kumar, SA Abdalla, M Otaif, RMA Thiqa, H Ahmed, K AlnahiliIndian Journal of Medical Microbiology 2016 34(4):553-557A 5-year-old female child presented with fever of 1-week duration after visiting a malaria endemic zone without antimalarial prophylaxis. The patient presented with respiratory distress, decreased level of consciousness and high-grade fever. An elevated parasitaemia reaching 800,000/μl was observed. Antimalarial therapy was initiated with artesunate being administered intravenous (IV) along with IV clindamycin. Contrary to the expectations, there was no resolution of fever. Following a week of unresolved fever, the drug therapy was revised and altered to IV quinine dihydrochloride and IV clindamycin. Emergence of non-responsiveness to artesunate in Saudi Arabia is an alarming sign and requires revision of management protocols.
Source: Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Source Type: research