A 26-year-old woman from a tribal district of Chhattisgarh is diagnosed with Plasmodium vivax malaria. She is haemodynamically stable and G6PD level is normal. As per national drug policy, what additional drug should be given after chloroquine to prevent relapse?

• A Primaquine single dose of 0.75 mg/kg
• B Primaquine 0.25 mg/kg daily for 14 days ✓
• C Artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for 3 days
• D Quinine for 7 days

Explanation

Vivax relapses originate from dormant hepatic hypnozoites, which are cleared only by primaquine given as 0.25 mg/kg daily for 14 days after chloroquine. The 0.75 mg/kg single dose is the gametocytocidal dose used in falciparum infection, which is the trap here. ACT-SP treats falciparum, and quinine is reserved for pregnancy or severe disease. Primaquine is contraindicated in pregnancy and infants, and G6PD must be checked before the 14-day course.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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