Management of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria in adults: A review of national and regional guidelines and their adherence to World Health Organization guidelines

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium falciparum is the most prevalent and pathogenic malaria parasite associated with severe illness and death. In nonendemic countries like the Russian Federation, P. falciparum malaria is a relatively rare but potentially fatal disease found in travelers returning from countries with high malaria burden.

AIMS: This review aimed to analyze the recommendations for managing severe P. falciparum malaria in different World Health Organization (WHO) malaria-endemic regions and considered their adherence to WHO guidelines.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Countries with the highest number of indigenous P. falciparum malaria cases from four WHO regions were identified, and malaria treatment guidelines were searched using databases.

RESULTS: Intravenous administration of artesunate is the mainstay of treatment for severe P. falciparum malaria. Most guidelines lack a mechanism for referring patients with severe malaria, between different levels of health facilities, and lack specific criteria for intensive care unit admission.

CONCLUSIONS: Mefloquine, artemisinin, combination products containing mefloquine, should be used with caution in cerebral malaria because of neuropsychiatric and cognitive complications. Understanding how guidelines and recommendations for the clinical management of malaria are adopted in different epidemiological settings will help contextualize the value and validity of recommendations for the treatment of severe malaria.

Keywords

Plasmodium falciparum malaria / severe forms / management / guidelines / WHO

References

[1] World Health Organization. Health impact assessment. Geneva: First Inter-Ministerial Conference on Health and Conference in Africa, Healthy Security through Healthy Environments; 2008.

[2] World Health Organization. Health impact assessment. Geneva : First Inter-Ministerial Conference on Health and Conference in Africa, Healthy Security through Healthy Environments, 2008.

[3] World Health Organization (CH). Universal access to core malaria interventions in high-burden countries. Geneva: Malaria Policy Advisory Committee Meeting; 2018.

[4] World Health Organization (CH). Universal access to core malaria interventions in high-burden countries. Geneva : Malaria Policy Advisory Committee Meeting, 2018.

[5] World Health Organization. World malaria report 2021. Available at: https://www.who.int/teams/global-malaria-programme/reports/world-malaria-report-2021. Accessed: 07.07.2022.

[6] World Health Organization. World malaria report 2021. Режим доступа: https://www.who.int/teams/global-malaria-programme/reports/world-malaria-report-2021. Дата обращения: 07.07.2022.

[7] World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines for malaria 2022. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/guidelines-for-malaria. Accessed: 01.07.2022.

[8] World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines for malaria 2022. Режим доступа: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/guidelines-for-malaria. Дата обращения: 01.07.2022.

[9] Mace KE, Arguin PM, Tan KR. Malaria Surveillance — United States, 2015. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2018;67(SS-7):1–28. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.ss6707a1

[10] Mace K.E., Arguin P.M., Tan K.R. Malaria Surveillance — United States, 2015 // MMWR Surveill Summ. 2018. Vol. 67, N SS-7. P. 1–28. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.ss6707a1

[11] On the state of sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population in the Russian Federation in 2022 [state report]. Available at: https://www.rospotrebnadzor.ru/upload/iblock/b2f/07f0z1xrue9fokx4wizocy1id8xbeek0/Gosudarstvennyy-doklad.-Zashchita-prav-potrebiteley-v-Rossiyskoy-Federatsii-v-2021-godu.pdf (In Russ). Accessed: 02.12.2022.

[12] Защита прав потребителей в Российской Федерации в 2021 году : государственный доклад. Москва : Федеральная служба по надзору в сфере защиты прав потребителей и благополучия человека, 2022. 340 с. Режим доступа: https://www.rospotrebnadzor.ru/upload/iblock/b2f/07f0z1xrue9fokx4wizocy1id8xbeek0/Gosudarstvennyy-doklad.-Zashchita-prav-potrebiteley-v-Rossiyskoy-Federatsii-v-2021-godu.pdf. Дата обращения: 02.12.2022.

[13] World Health Organization. The “World malaria report 2019” at a glance. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/world-malaria-report-2019. Accessed: 01.03.2022.

[14] World Health Organization. The “World malaria report 2019” at a glance. Режим доступа: https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/world-malaria-report-2019. Дата обращения: 01.03.2022.

[15] Uganda national guidelines. Available at: https://www.prb.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Uganda-Clinical-Guidelines-2016-National-Guidelines-for-Management-of-Common-Conditions.pdf. Accessed: 19.07.2022.

[16] Uganda national guidelines. Режим доступа: https://www.prb.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Uganda-Clinical-Guidelines-2016-National-Guidelines-for-Management-of-Common-Conditions.pdf. Дата обращения: 19.07.2022.

[17] Mozambique national guidelines. Available at: https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00W8CN.pdf. Accessed: 08.07.2022.

[18] Mozambique national guidelines. Режим доступа: https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00W8CN.pdf. Дата обращения: 08.07.2022.

[19] Dr Congo national guidelines. Available at: https://www.severemalaria.org/sites/mmv-smo/files/content/attachments/2017-11-20/DRC%20DIRECTIVES%20NATIONALE%20DE%20PEC%20DU%20PALUDISME%202017.pdf. Accessed: 27.07.2022.

[20] Dr Congo national guidelines. Режим доступа: https://www.severemalaria.org/sites/mmv-smo/files/content/attachments/2017-11-20/DRC%20DIRECTIVES%20NATIONALE%20DE%20PEC%20DU%20PALUDISME%202017.pdf. Дата обращения: 27.07.2022.

[21] Indonesia national guidelines. Available at: https://digihealth.id/elibrari/buku-saku-penatalaksanaan-kasus-malaria-31993. Accessed: 10.07.2022.

[22] Indonesia national guidelines. Режим доступа: https://digihealth.id/elibrari/buku-saku-penatalaksanaan-kasus-malaria-31993. Дата обращения: 10.07.2022.

[23] Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Malaria in India 2014. Available at: https://ncvbdc.mohfw.gov.in/WriteReadData/l892s/20627628441542176662.pdf. Accessed: 15.05.2022.

[24] Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Malaria in India 2014. Режим доступа: https://ncvbdc.mohfw.gov.in/WriteReadData/l892s/20627628441542176662.pdf. Дата обращения: 15.05.2022.

[25] Sudan. Federal Ministry of Health. Malaria treatment protocol 2017. Khartoum; 2017. Available at: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/2019/07/Sudan-Malaria-Treatment-Protocol_2017.pdf. Accessed: 15.05.2022.

[26] Sudan. Federal Ministry of Health. Malaria treatment protocol 2017. Khartoum, 2017. Режим доступа: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianresponse.info/files/2019/07/Sudan-Malaria-Treatment-Protocol_2017.pdf. Дата обращения: 15.05.2022.

[27] Pakistan. National Malaria Case Management Guidelines Directorate of Malaria Control Pakistan. Available at: https://phkh.nhsrc.pk/sites/default/files/2020-10/Guidelines%20for%20National%20Malaria%20Case%20Management%20Pakistan.pdf. Accessed: 30.05.2022.

[28] Pakistan. National Malaria Case Management Guidelines Directorate of Malaria Control Pakistan. Режим доступа: https://phkh.nhsrc.pk/sites/default/files/2020-10/Guidelines%20for%20National%20Malaria%20Case%20Management%20Pakistan.pdf. Дата обращения: 30.05.2022.

[29] Pulford J, Mueller I, Siba PM, Hetzel MW. Malaria case management in Papua New Guinea prior to the introduction of a revised treatment protocol. Malaria Journal. 2012;11(1). doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-11-157

[30] Pulford J., Mueller I., Siba P.M., Hetzel M.W. Malaria case management in Papua New Guinea prior to the introduction of a revised treatment protocol // Malaria Journal. 2012. Vol. 11, N 1. doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-11-157

[31] Philippines. National Malaria Control and Elimination Program Manual of Operations. Available at: https://doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Malaria Manual of Procedures 2018.pdf. Accessed: 16.06.2022.

[32] Philippines. National Malaria Control and Elimination Program Manual of Operations. Режим доступа: https://doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/Malaria Manual of Procedures 2018.pdf. Дата обращения: 16.06.2022.

[33] WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia. Regional guidelines for the management of severe falciparum malaria in small hospitals. 2006. Available at: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/205770. Accessed: 10.06.2022.

[34] WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia. Regional guidelines for the management of severe falciparum malaria in small hospitals. 2006. Режим доступа: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/205770. Дата обращения: 10.06.2022.

[35] WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia. Regional guidelines for the management of severe falciparum malaria in large hospitals. 2006. Available at: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/205769. Accessed: 17.05.2022.

[36] WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia. Regional guidelines for the management of severe falciparum malaria in large hospitals. 2006. Режим доступа: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/205769. Дата обращения: 17.05.2022.

[37] National Scientific Society of infectious diseases doctors. Malaria in adults [National clinical guidelines]. Available at: https://mzur.ru/upload/iblock/76e/Malyariya-u-vzroslykh.pdf (In Russ). Accessed: 05.03.2022.

[38] Национальное научное общество инфекционистов. Малярия у взрослых : клинические рекомендации. Режим доступа: https://mzur.ru/upload/iblock/76e/Malyariya-u-vzroslykh.pdf. Дата обращения: 05.03.2022.

[39] Noubiap JJN. Shifting from quinine to artesunate as first-line treatment of severe malaria in children and adults: Saving more lives. Journal of Infection and Public Health. 2014;7(5):407–412. doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2014.04.007

[40] Noubiap J.J.N. Shifting from quinine to artesunate as first-line treatment of severe malaria in children and adults: Saving more lives // Journal of Infection and Public Health. 2014. Vol. 7, N 5. P. 407–412. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2014.04.007

[41] USAID. President’s Malaria Initiative FY 2020 DRC Malaria Operational Plan. Available at: https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00Z6KT.pdf. Accessed: 02.07.2021.

[42] USAID. President’s Malaria Initiative FY 2020 DRC Malaria Operational Plan. Режим доступа: https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00Z6KT.pdf. Дата обращения: 02.07.2021.

[43] Injectable Artesunate Assessment Report. Available at: https://www.severemalaria.org/sites/mmvsmo/files/content/attachments/2020-02-07/Injectable%20artesunate%20report.pdf. Accessed: 17.01.2022.

[44] Injectable Artesunate Assessment Report. Режим доступа: https://www.severemalaria.org/sites/mmvsmo/files/content/attachments/2020-02-07/Injectable%20artesunate%20report.pdf. Дата обращения: 17.01.2022.

[45] Buku saku Buku Saku Petugas Kesehatan. Direktorat Jenderal Pengendalian Penyakit dan Penyehatan Lingkungan, Departemen Kesehatan Indonesia. 2011. Available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XTjyeBDn7NYDclMQLIdO4eWwly1AohW3/view.

[46] Buku saku Buku Saku Petugas Kesehatan. Direktorat Jenderal Pengendalian Penyakit dan Penyehatan Lingkungan, Departemen Kesehatan Indonesia. 2011. Режим доступа: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XTjyeBDn7NYDclMQLIdO4eWwly1AohW3/view.

[47] Akunuri S, Shraddha P, Palli V, MuraliSantosh B. Suspected Artesunate Resistant Malaria in South India. J Glob Infect Dis. 2018;10(1):26–27. doi: 10.4103/jgid.jgid_180_16

[48] Akunuri S., Shraddha P., Palli V., MuraliSantosh B. Suspected Artesunate Resistant Malaria in South India // J Glob Infect Dis. 2018. Vol. 10, N 1. P. 26–27. doi: 10.4103/jgid.jgid_180_16

[49] Newton PN, Chierakul W, Ruangveerayuth R, et al. A comparison of artesunate alone with combined artesunate and quinine in the parenteral treatment of acute falciparum malaria. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2001;95(5):519–523.

[50] Newton P.N., Chierakul W., Ruangveerayuth R., et al. A comparison of artesunate alone with combined artesunate and quinine in the parenteral treatment of acute falciparum malaria // Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2001. Vol. 95, N 5. P. 519–523.

[51] Chentsov VB, Tokmalaev AK, Kozhevnikova GM, et al. Optimizing the Intensive Care Treatment of Severe and Complicated Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in Nonimmune Patients. J Trop Med. 2020. 2020:1628270. doi: 10.1155/2020/1628270

[52] Chentsov V.B., Tokmalaev A.K., Kozhevnikova G.M., et al. Optimizing the Intensive Care Treatment of Severe and Complicated Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in Nonimmune Patients // J Trop Med. 2020. Vol. 2020. P. 1628270. doi: 10.1155/2020/1628270

[53] Sergiev VP, Baranova AM, Kozhevnikova GM, et al. Problems of clinical diagnosis and treatment of P. falciparum malaria in Russian Federation. Terapevticheskii arkhiv. 2018;90(11):4–8. (In Russ). doi: 10.26442/terarkh201890114-8

[54] Сергиев В.П., Баранова А.М., Кожевникова Г.М., и др. Проблемы клинической диагностики и лечения малярии P. falciparum в Российской Федерации // Терапевтический архив. 2018. Т. 90, № 11. С. 4–8. doi: 10.26442/terarkh201890114-8

[55] Baranova AM, Sergiev VP. Death cases from tropical malaria in Russia (2009–2012). Medical Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases. 2015;(1):50–52. (In Russ).

[56] Баранова А.М., Сергиев В.П. Анализ случаев тропической малярии со смертельными исходами в Российской Федерации (2009–2012) // Медицинская паразитология и паразитарные болезни. 2015. № 1. С. 50–52.

[57] Nevin RL, Byrd AM. Neuropsychiatric Adverse Reactions to Mefloquine: a Systematic Comparison of Prescribing and Patient Safety Guidance in the US, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Neurol Ther. 2016;5(1):69–83. doi: 10.1007/s40120-016-0045-5

[58] Nevin R.L., Byrd A.M. Neuropsychiatric Adverse Reactions to Mefloquine: A Systematic Comparison of Prescribing and Patient Safety Guidance in the US, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada // Neurol Ther. 2016. Vol. 5, N 1. P. 69–83. doi: 10.1007/s40120-016-0045-5

[59] Okebe J, Eisenhut M. Pre-referral rectal artesunate for severe malaria. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;2014(5):CD009964. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009964.pub2

[60] Okebe J., Eisenhut M. Pre-referral rectal artesunate for severe malaria // Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014. Vol. 2014, N 5. P. CD009964. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009964.pub2

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Eco-vector