Resistant plasmodium falciparum malaria in the pediatric age group should be treated with __________

Blood schizonticides are the first-line drugs for the treatment of malaria and must be staed as soon as the diagnosis is made, or even suspected, in severe disease. They act on the asexual forms in the erythrocytes and interrupt clinical attacks. Delay in treatment of P falciparum malaria can lead to the development or worsening of severe malaria, which has a poorer prognosis than uncomplicated malaria. Chloroquine, quinine, quinidine, halofantrine, and aemisinin compounds are the rapidly acting drugs that can terminate an acute malaria attack. While chloroquine acts rapidly, resistance is widespread, and an accurate travel history should be obtained before choosing the antimalarial drug. Malaria impoed from Asia or the Americas is mostly P vivax and is chloroquine responsive. Malaria acquired in Africa is mostly P falciparum and is chloroquine resistant; quinine is an effective drug. P falciparummalaria incurred in Southeast Asia may be quinine and mefloquine resistant as well; a combination of aesunate and mefloquine, or aesunate and lumefantrine, is recommended. Time wasted in trials of a drug to which the parasite is resistant can result in a poor outcome, including death. Reference: GHAI Essential pediatrics, 8th edition