Bibliographic information
Recommendation
Duration of ACT treatment: ACT regimens should provide 3 days treatment with an artemisinin derivative.
Recommended in favor
Strong
Certainty of evidence
High
Notes and Remarks
Remarks Longer ACT treatment may be required to achieve > 90% cure rate in areas with artemisinin-resistant P. falciparum, but there are insufficient trials to make definitive recommendations. A 3-day course of the artemisinin component of ACTs covers two asexual cycles, ensuring that only a small fraction of parasites remain for clearance by the partner drug, thus reducing the potential development of resistance to the partner drug. Shorter courses (1–2 days) are therefore not recommended, as they are less effective, have less effect on gametocytes and provide less protection for the slowly eliminated partner drug.
Also Featured In
This recommendation also appears in the following guidelines:
Guidelines for the Treatment of Malaria
Guidelines for the treatment of malaria
WHO guidelines for malaria, 16 February 2021.
WHO guidelines for malaria, 13 July 2021.
WHO guidelines for malaria, 18 February 2022.
WHO guidelines for malaria, 31 March 2022.
WHO guidelines for malaria, 25 November 2022.
WHO guidelines for malaria, 16 October 2023.
WHO Guidelines for malaria, 14 March 2023
WHO guidelines for malaria, 30 November 2024.