Monitoring therapeutic efficacy of chloroquine on uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum in Iran.

Malaria is still one of the important parasitic diseases aroud the country and the major health problem in south – east of Iran. Based on the role of therapeutic effect and importance of failure rate of antimalaria drugs in national drug policy a joint study with collaboration of WHO on montoring of therapeutic efficacy of chloroqine has been done according to the latest WHO guideline in south & southeast provinces َin 2002-03. According to the findings, from 144 uncomplicated cases who were eligible for 28 days follow up, only 21. 5 % showed adequate clinical & parasitological response to chloroquine (ACPR), 17. 4% showed early treatment failure (ETF), 34. 7% late clinical failure and 26. 4% late parasitologcal failure (LPF). Based on the results, drug changing the first line antimalaria drug regimen is recommended for treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria.