Bibliographic information
GuidelineWHO guidelines for malaria, 25 November 2022.
Year of Publication2022
Issuing InstitutionWorld Health Organization
Recommendation
Maintained
Originally developed
Short-course standard dose primaquine treatment: To prevent relapse, an additional treatment option of using primaquine 0.5 mg/kg/day for seven days is recommended to treat P. vivax or P. ovale malaria in children and adults (except pregnant women, infants aged < 6 months, women breastfeeding infants aged < 6 months, women breastfeeding older infants unless they are known not to be G6PD deficient, and people with G6PD deficiency).
Recommended in favor
Strong
Certainty of evidence
Very low
Notes and Remarks
Remarks
- As recommended previously, the G6PD status of patients should be used to guide administration of primaquine for preventing relapse.
- A shorter regimen can lead to better adherence compared to the standard 14-day regimen and thus to fewer relapses.
Practical Info
- Health facilities should continue to monitor for vomiting, anaemia, haemolysis and adherence to treatment.
- Safety monitoring is critical, so strengthening of pharmacovigilance systems is generally needed.
- Surveillance for risk of false-negative results with G6PD tests and for lack of G6PD testing is essential.
Also Featured In
This recommendation also appears in the following guidelines:
Guideline
WHO Guidelines for malaria, 14 March 2023
Year2023
InstitutionWHO