Treatment of vivax malaria with a single dose of sulphadoxine and pyrimethamine (Fansidar).

Chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment in malaria infections which continue to cause increasing morbidity and mortality rates in developing countries in view of the widespread distribution of chloroquine resistance due to P. falciparum. However, there is no carefully documented evidence to the effect that P. Vivax has developed resistance to chloroquine. The ideal drug is one that would eradicate all strains & stages of the human malaria parasites. However, such a drug is not available at present. Although Fansidar is very effective against chloroquine resistant strains of P. falciparum in Malaysia, it is less so in the treatment of Infections due to P. Vivax as shown in this study.

Full text article: http://smj.sma.org.sg/2402/2402smj9.pdf