Nicholas J. WhiteMahidol University2018-07-242018-07-242002-10-01Trends in Parasitology. Vol.18, No.10 (2002), 458-464147149222-s2.0-0036790841https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/20192Antimalarial drug efficacy in uncomplicated malaria should be assessed parasitologically in large, community-based trials, enrolling the age groups most affected by clinical disease. For rapidly eliminated drugs, a 28-day follow-up is needed, but, for slowly eliminated drugs, up to nine weeks could be required to document all recrudescences, and, when possible, the drug levels should also be measured. The WHO 14-day assessments are neither sensitive nor specific. In tropical Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale infections treated with chloroquine, the first relapse is usually suppressed by residual drug levels. A relapse cannot be distinguished confidently from a recrudescence. Host immunity is a major contributor to the therapeutic response, and can make failing drugs appear effective.Mahidol UniversityImmunology and MicrobiologyMedicineReviewSCOPUS10.1016/S1471-4922(02)02373-5