P. Falciparum Management
Artemisinin is derived from the sweet wormwood plant. (above)
The team that discovered it was awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine in 2015.
In many areas, P. falciparum is resistant to chloroquine based treatments.
Infection can progress quickly and until clinical course can be established, patients with P. falciparum should be treated as inpatients.
Artemisinin based therapies are recommended for P. falciparum infections.
Oral therapy is often sufficient in uncomplicated cases, however IV artesunate should be given if there are signs of severe disease, regardless of the species responsible.
IV Quinine with oral doxycycline can also be given as an alternative option to IV artesunate.
