WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- The World Health Organization has warned countries to monitor the use of anti-malarial medications to ensure the malaria parasite does not develop resistance to the drugs.
"It is crucial that these medicines be used correctly," said Dr. Pascal Ringwald, a medical officer in the WHO's Roll Back Malaria Department and principal author of a new report on proper use of anti-malarial drugs released by the international health agency this week.
In the report, "Susceptibility of Plasmodium Falciparum to Antimalarial Drugs," the WHO said it is essential that drugs derived from the plant Artemisia annua be used in combination with a second drug, not as stand-alone therapy.
"Otherwise, the medicines could lose their potency over time due to the development of resistance," the agency said in a statement.
The report urged governments to use only WHO-approved, high-quality artemisinin-based combination therapies, or ACTs, because drugs of low quality could lead to resistance. The high-quality combinations consist of an artemisinin-based drug combined with amodiaquine, lumefantrine, mefloquine or sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine.
Malaria is a leading cause of death worldwide, with 300 million to 500 million cases reported each year, causing approximately 1 million deaths. The disease occurs in more than 100 countries, including the regions of sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
P. falciparum, the malaria parasite, is transmitted by mosquitoes and is infamous for its ability to develop resistance to anti-malarial medications. WHO officials emphasized proper use of ACT regimens could delay the parasite from developing resistance and ensure the drugs remain effective.
"We have the means to enhance the lifespan of ACTs," said Dr. Fatoumata Nafo-Traore, the director of WHO's Roll Back Malaria Department. "In addition, we must move forward energetically on research to develop new antimalarial medicines."
Ringwald said resistance to artemisinin has not yet been detected and noted that WHO officials "are watching the situation very attentively."
The WHO report recommends that governments educate all people on anti-malarial medications about the importance of finishing their entire course of treatment to help reduce the chances of the development of resistance.
Efforts to fight malaria received a boost Monday. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced that international donors had pledged $3.7 billion in funding for 2006 and 2007. This is more than half of the $7 billion the Global Fund projects it will need for the two-year period.
Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary-general, said the donations "will help countries establish comprehensive programs to fight AIDS, TB and malaria and they will provide us all with an important source of hope and encouragement for the future; hope that we can make major progress in reversing the spread of AIDS and other infectious diseases."
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