Treatment Failure Due to the Potential Under-Dosing of Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine in a Patient with Plasmodium Falciparum Uncomplicated Malaria
INFECT DIS TROP MED 2019; 5: E525 Treatment failure due to the potential under-dosing of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine in a patient with Plasmodium falciparum uncomplicated malaria I. De Benedetto1, F. Gobbi2, S. Audagnotto1, C. Piubelli2, E. Razzaboni3, R. Bertucci1, G. Di Perri1, A. Calcagno1 1Department of Medical Sciences, Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Torino, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, Torino, Italy 2Department of Infectious–Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Verona, Italy 3Unit of Infectious Diseases, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata di Verona, Verona, Italy ABSTRACT: — Background: Dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine (DHA-PPQ) 40/320 mg is approved for the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum uncomplicated malaria. Different recommendations are provided by WHO guidelines and drug data sheet about dosing in overweight patients. We report here a treatment failure likely caused by sub-optimal dosing of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine in a case of uncomplicated P. fal- ciparum malaria in a returning traveler from Burkina Faso. INTRODUCTION kg). They, therefore, provided an updated dosing body weight dosing schedule in their 2015 guidelines for Dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine (DHA-PPQ) 40/320 malaria treatment that provides for a dose of 200/1600 mg tablet formulation is approved for the treatment mg (5 tablets) in individuals > 80 kg1. of Plasmodium falciparum uncomplicated malaria in adults and children > 6 months and > 5 kg of body weight. Following WHO guidelines, the daily
[Show full text]