Malaria outbreak in Laos caused by formerly rare artemisinin resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum

Published on December 6, 2022

In The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Varanya Wasakul and colleagues1 employed genomic analysis to characterise an outbreak of Plasmodium falciparum infections in Laos. They show that the outbreak was driven by an artemisinin resistant lineage that infiltrated the community in southern Laos during the 2020–21 malaria season, coinciding with a change in treatment policy in neighbouring countries.

 

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(22)00761-7/fulltext?dgcid=raven_jbs_aip_email 

Other news

1 in 3 use antibiotics without prescription, WHO/Europe’s study shows

November 29, 2022
Only two thirds of people in 14 countries in the WHO European Region, who took part in a recent survey, were able to say their last course of antibiotics was obtained with a medical prescription. 1 in 3 either used leftover antibiotics from a previous prescription or obtained them without a prescription over the counter from a pharmacy or elsewhere. This is at least 3 times more than that reported

Despite continued impact of COVID-19, malaria cases and deaths remained stable in 2021

December 9, 2022
New data released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) show that countries around the world largely held the line against further setbacks to malaria prevention, testing and treatment services in 2021.Insecticide treated bednets (ITNs) are the primary vector control tool used in most malaria-endemic countries and, in 2020, countries distributed more ITNs than in any year on record. In 2021