Effectiveness of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine after 10 years as treatment for vivax malaria in Indonesia

Abstract

Introduction: Dihydroartemisin-piperaquine (DHP) is a type of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) that is extensively used in Indonesia as first-line malaria treatment over the past 10 years. Therefore, DHP has been known to have high efficacy, but re-evaluation of the efficacy was needed since the treatment was being used for a long time.

Methodology: A cohort prospective study on pediatric and adult patients diagnosed with vivax malaria in Kualuh Leidong health centre was conducted from November 2019 – April 2020 to evaluate the efficacy of DHP for the treatment of malaria vivax. The efficacy of DHP was monitored by evaluating the clinical symptoms and serial peripheral blood smear at day 1,2,3,7,14,21 and 28.

Results: A total of 60 children and adults diagnosed with malaria vivax were enrolled for this study. Major symptoms such as fever, sweating and dizziness were found in all of subjects. The mean number of parasites on day 0 of observation in the child and adult groups was 313.33/µL and 328/µL respectively (p = 0.839). Meanwhile, the mean number of gametocytes on day 0 was 74109.33/µL in the child group and 61661.33/µL in the adult group. There was a reduction in the number of gametocytes on the 1^st day of observation in the child and adult groups to 669.33/µL and 489.33/µL respectively (p = 0.512). No recrudescence occurred in either group within 28 days of observation.

Conclusions: DHP is still efficacious and safe as a first-line treatment for vivax malaria in Indonesia, with 100% cure rate at 28 days of observation.