From the Research
Malaria treatment in Nigeria should prioritize the use of artemether-lumefantrine-amodiaquine as the first-line therapy, given its efficacy in reducing gametocyte carriage and transmission to mosquitoes, as demonstrated in a recent study 1.
Key Considerations
- The study published in The Lancet. Microbe 1 found that artemether-lumefantrine-amodiaquine was effective in preventing nearly all human-mosquito malaria parasite transmission within 48 hours.
- Another study published in The Lancet. Infectious diseases 2 showed that triple therapy with artemether-lumefantrine plus amodiaquine was an effective treatment for artemisinin-resistant, uncomplicated falciparum malaria.
- The use of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) is recommended by the World Health Organization, and artemether-lumefantrine is a commonly used ACT in Nigeria.
Prevention Measures
- In addition to treatment, prevention measures such as taking antimalarial medications, using insect repellents, wearing long-sleeved clothing, and sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets are essential in reducing the risk of malaria transmission.
- The study published in Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics 3 highlights the importance of optimizing the dose of artemether-lumefantrine-amodiaquine to ensure equivalent exposures in all body weight groups and minimize the fluctuation in exposure between patients.
Treatment Outcomes
- The treatment outcomes for malaria in Nigeria can be improved by using artemether-lumefantrine-amodiaquine as the first-line therapy, as it has been shown to be effective in reducing gametocyte carriage and transmission to mosquitoes.
- The study published in The Lancet. Microbe 1 found that the addition of a single low dose of primaquine to artemether-lumefantrine-amodiaquine or artesunate-amodiaquine blocked transmission to mosquitoes rapidly, regardless of schizonticide.