Plasmodium ovale Infection After One Year Mefloquine Prophylaxis in A Young Indonesian Soldier: A Case Report.

Abstract

Malaria chemoprevention using mefloquine has become the WHO standard regimen for military personnel who stay in the endemic area for an extended period of time. We reported a case of Plasmodium ovale infection in a young Indonesian Soldier following one year mefloquine prophylaxis 250 mg weekly. Typical fever and chills were experienced two weeks after returning from one year duty in Congo, West-Central Africa. The diagnosis of ovale malaria was made by peripheral blood smear, and 35/250 parasites in small microscopic view was found. Then, he recovered after dihydroartemisin and primaquine combination therapy. This was an unusual case of long-term prophylaxis failure since mefloquine has been recognized as the agent for malaria prevention, even multi-drug-resistance Plasmodium. Dormant stage of Plasmodium ovale, quinoline-resistance potential, and the efficacy of mefloquine itself are discussed as the cause of that phenomenon.

• Authors: Frans Liwang, Dewi Mira Ratih, Soroy Lardo
• Journal: Acta medica Indonesiana (Acta Med Indones) Vol. 51 Issue 1 Pg. 59-62 (Jan 2019) ISSN: 0125-9326 [Print] Indonesia
• PMID: 31073108 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antimalarials
• Artemisinins
• artenimol
• Primaquine
• Mefloquine

Topics

• Antimalarials (therapeutic use)
• Artemisinins (therapeutic use)
• Chemoprevention
• Congo (epidemiology)
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Humans
• Indonesia
• Malaria (diagnosis, drug therapy, prevention & control)
• Male
• Mefloquine (therapeutic use)
• Military Personnel
• Plasmodium ovale (isolation & purification)
• Primaquine (therapeutic use)
• Young Adult