A child is brought with Plasmodium vivax malaria. After chloroquine treatment the fever resolves, but the physician also prescribes primaquine. The primary rationale for adding primaquine is to:

• A Eliminate gametocytes to prevent mosquito transmission
• B Provide blood schizontocidal activity synergistic with chloroquine
• C Prevent the development of chloroquine resistance
• D Eradicate hypnozoites from the liver to prevent relapse ✓

Explanation

Primaquine is the only available drug that eradicates dormant hepatic hypnozoites of P. vivax and P. ovale, thereby preventing relapses that can occur months to years after the primary infection. Chloroquine clears the erythrocytic (blood) stage but has no activity against hypnozoites. Before prescribing primaquine, G6PD status must be checked because the drug causes oxidative hemolysis in G6PD-deficient individuals.

Reference: KD Tripathi, Essentials of Medical Pharmacology, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.