Chloroquine Remains Effective for Treating Plasmodium vivax Malaria in Pursat Province, Western Cambodia

Abstract

ABSTRACTChloroquine (CQ) is used to treatPlasmodium vivaxmalaria in areas where CQ resistance has not been reported. The use of artemisinin (ART)-based combination therapies (ACTs) to treat CQ-sensitiveP. vivaxinfections is effective and convenient but may promote the emergence and worsening of ART resistance in sympatricPlasmodium falciparumpopulations. Here, we show that CQ effectively treatsP. vivaxmalaria in Pursat Province, western Cambodia, where ART-resistantP. falciparumis highly prevalent and spreading. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT00663546.)