A 29-year-old woman with severe P. falciparum malaria (parasitaemia 11%) is on IV artesunate in a UK ITU. On day 3, parasitaemia has dropped to 0.5%. ...

Question

A 29-year-old woman with severe P. falciparum malaria (parasitaemia 11%) is on IV artesunate in a UK ITU. On day 3, parasitaemia has dropped to 0.5%. The ITU team asks when she can switch to oral therapy. What are the WHO criteria for switching from IV to oral treatment?

Accepted Answer

When the patient has received at least 24 hours of parenteral artesunate (minimum 3 doses at 0, 12, and 24 hours) AND can tolerate oral medication, regardless of residual parasitaemia

Answer

Only when parasitaemia reaches zero

Answer

After exactly 7 days of IV therapy

Answer

When haemoglobin normalises

Answer

When the patient is discharged from ITU

uk-dtmh MCQ (SBA): IV to Oral Switch Criteria

A 29-year-old woman with severe P. falciparum malaria (parasitaemia 11%) is on IV artesunate in a UK ITU. On day 3, parasitaemia has dropped to 0.5%. The ITU team asks when she can switch to oral therapy. What are the WHO criteria for switching from IV to oral treatment?