Malaria is a life-threatening
infection which affects especially non-immune subjects including children under the age of 5. Imported
malaria is a
rare disease in Europe but, with the increasing number of travelers and people who are visiting friends or relatives, it is important not to neglect it. Severe
malaria leads to many pediatric deaths in countries with limited resources. The treatment of choice is a parenteral
antimalarial. For a long time, only
quinine was used in that case. Based on strong studies conducted in Asia and Africa, WHO (World Health Organization) has recommended the use of
artesunate as a first-line treatment for severe
malaria in adults and children since 2010.The use of
artesunate has shown a reduction in mortality rate in severe
malaria. In Europe, there still are several barriers to the implementation of these recommendations, especially in terms of availability and cost. In pediatrics departments and adults,
artesunate is the first-line treatment in severe
malaria, although close monitoring is essential, especially at the hematological side, monitoring the development of delayed post-
artesunate haemolytic
anemia (PADH), a known side effect.