Rationale for recommending a lower dose of primaquine as a Plasmodium falciparum gametocytocide in populations where G6PD deficiency is common

Nicholas J. WhiteLi Guo QiaoGao QiLucio LuzzattoMahidol UniversityGuangzhou UniversityJiangsu Institute of Parasitic DiseasesIstituto Toscano Tumori2018-06-112018-06-112012-12-18Malaria Journal. Vol.11, (2012)147528752-s2.0-84870891528https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/14225In areas of low malaria transmission, it is currently recommended that a single dose of primaquine (0.75 mg base/kg; 45 mg adult dose) be added to artemisinin combination treatment (ACT) in acute falciparum malaria to block malaria transmission. Review of studies of transmission-blocking activity based on the infectivity of patients or volunteers to anopheline mosquitoes, and of haemolytic toxicity in glucose 6-dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficient subjects, suggests that a lower primaquine dose (0.25 mg base/kg) would be safer and equally effective. This lower dose could be deployed together with ACTs without G6PD testing wherever use of a specific gametocytocide is indicated. © 2012 White et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.Mahidol UniversityImmunology and MicrobiologyMedicineRationale for recommending a lower dose of primaquine as a Plasmodium falciparum gametocytocide in populations where G6PD deficiency is commonArticleSCOPUS10.1186/1475-2875-11-418