A 26-year-old man in Uttar Pradesh is diagnosed with Plasmodium vivax malaria after chloroquine-sensitivity is confirmed locally. He has been tested for G6PD deficiency and found to be normal. As per the National Drug Policy for malaria, the appropriate radical cure regimen is:
- A Chloroquine 1500 mg base over 3 days followed by no further therapy
- B Primaquine 0.75 mg/kg daily for 5 days
- C Primaquine 0.25 mg/kg daily for 14 days ✓
- D Artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for 3 days
Correct answer: C. Primaquine 0.25 mg/kg daily for 14 days
Explanation
The National Drug Policy recommends chloroquine 25 mg/kg over three days for blood stage infection plus primaquine 0.25 mg/kg daily for 14 days as radical cure for vivax malaria in G6PD normal patients. The 5 day primaquine course was abandoned because relapse rates were unacceptably high, which is the fact that eliminates option B. Artesunate combination therapy is reserved for falciparum malaria.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.