Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium vivax in the Republic of Korea

The number of Plasmodium vivax malaria patients in the Republic of Korea and North Korea since the re-emergence of malaria in 1993 is estimated to be approximately one million. To cope with this situation, the Army of the Republic of Korea has performed chemoprophylaxis with hydroxychloroquine and primaquine since 1997. The cumulative number of soldiers in the Army of the Republic of Korea given chemoprophylaxis exceeded 1.4 million by 2007. Extensive chemoprophylaxis contributed to preventing a rapid increase of malaria patients in the Army of the Republic of Korea, but increased the possibility of the occurrence of chloroquine (CQ)-resistant P. vivax strains. In this study, treatment responses of P. vivax malaria patients in the Republic of Korea monitored during 2003-2007, and CQ resistance was confirmed in 2 of 484 enrolled patients. Our results are the first report of CQ-resistant P. vivax in a temperate region of Asia. Continuous surveillance is warranted to monitor the change in CQ resistance frequency of P. vivax in the Republic of Korea.

[1]  Jae-Won Park,et al.  Plasmodium vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea during 2004-2005: changing patterns of infection. , 2007, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[2]  Z. Şimşek,et al.  The decreasing efficacy of chloroquine in the treatment of Plasmodium vivax malaria, in Şanlıurfa, south–eastern Turkey , 2006, Annals of tropical medicine and parasitology.

[3]  Jae-Won Park,et al.  Evaluation of Anti-Malarial Effects of Mass Chemoprophylaxis in the Republic of Korea Army , 2005, Journal of Korean medical science.

[4]  Jae-Won Park,et al.  Status of Plasmodium vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea during 2001-2003. , 2005, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[5]  J. Baird,et al.  Chloroquine Resistance in Plasmodium vivax , 2004, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

[6]  Jae-Won Park,et al.  Vivax malaria: a continuing health threat to the Republic of Korea. , 2003, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[7]  J. Soto,et al.  Plasmodium vivax clinically resistant to chloroquine in Colombia. , 2001, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.

[8]  M. Easterbrook.  Detection and prevention of maculopathy associated with antimalarial agents. , 1999, International ophthalmology clinics.

[9]  J. Baird,et al.  Survey of resistance to chloroquine by Plasmodium vivax in Indonesia. , 1996, Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

[10]  Myint-Oo,et al.  Development of resistance to chloroquine by Plasmodium vivax in Myanmar. , 1995, Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

[11]  W. Jarra,et al.  High sensitivity of detection of human malaria parasites by the use of nested polymerase chain reaction. , 1993, Molecular and biochemical parasitology.

[12]  K. Rieckmann,et al.  PLASMODIUM VIVAX RESISTANCE TO CHLOROQUINE? , 1989, The Lancet.

[13]  E. McChesney,et al.  Animal toxicity and pharmacokinetics of hydroxychloroquine sulfate. , 1983, The American journal of medicine.

[14]  M. NIETO-CAICEDO.  Hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of malaria. , 1956, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene.