Severe Malaria and Artesunate Treatment in Norway
Author Information
Author(s): Mørch Kristine, Strand Øystein, Dunlop Oona, Berg Åse, Langeland Nina, Leiva Rafael A.M., Longva Jørn-Åge, Sjursen Håkon, Skrede Steinar, Sundal Jon, Jensenius Mogens
Primary Institution: Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
Hypothesis
Is intravenous artesunate an effective treatment for severe falciparum malaria in travelers returning from West Africa?
Conclusion
The study suggests that intravenous artesunate is an efficacious and safe treatment option for severe falciparum malaria.
Supporting Evidence
- All patients treated with intravenous artesunate recovered uneventfully and were discharged within a mean of 4.2 days.
- Parasitemia levels fell below 1% in all patients within 1–2 days of treatment.
- No adverse effects were attributed to artesunate during the treatment.
Takeaway
Doctors in Norway treated 9 patients with severe malaria using a medicine called artesunate, and all of them got better quickly without any serious side effects.
Methodology
Patients treated with intravenous artesunate were identified from medical records, and their clinical and laboratory features were analyzed.
Limitations
The study is limited by its small sample size and retrospective design.
Participant Demographics
Patients included Norwegian tourists, immigrants, and individuals visiting friends and relatives, with varying lengths of stay in Norway.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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