Abstract

ORJUELA, Pamela; GONZALEZ, Iveth  and  OSORIO, Lyda. Combination therapy as a strategy to prevent antimalarial drug resistance. Biomédica (Bogotá) [online]. 2004, vol.24, n.4, pp.423-437. ISSN 0120-4157.

Resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarials is considered one of the factors responsible for the impairment of the malaria treatment and control worlwide. Resistance emerges as a result of selection and then disemination of spontaneous mutant parasites with reduced drug susceptibility. Combination therapy is considered as the main strategy to control antimalarial drug resistance. Currently, combination therapies that include artemisinin derivatives are highly recommended. Combination therapy has been used in Colombia for more than 20 years; however, its impact on preventing the dissemination of drug resistance is unknown. This paper reviews the theoretical bases and clinical studies that support the use of combination therapy.

Keywords : malaria; Plasmodium falciparum; antimalarials; resistance; combination therapy; artemisinin.

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