A 5-year-old child from a chloroquine-resistant area presents with high fever, altered sensorium, and a peripheral smear shows Plasmodium falciparum. Which is the most appropriate treatment?

• A Chloroquine
• B Quinine alone
• C Primaquine
• D Artemisinin-based combination therapy ✓

Explanation

For chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria, artemisinin-based combination therapy (e.g., artemether-lumefantrine) is the first-line treatment. Chloroquine is ineffective. Primaquine is used for radical cure of vivax and ovale malaria. Quinine is used in severe malaria but usually in combination with other drugs, not as monotherapy.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 26th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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