Comparison of artesunate and chloroquine activities against Plasmodium vivax gametocytes.

The gametocidal activities of chloroquine and artesunate were compared. The relative risk (RR) of having detectable gametocytes appear after treatment initiation was lower in artesunate-treated patients (n = 792) than in chloroquine-treated patients (n = 695) (RR = 0.29; 95% CI = 0.2 to 0.40; P < 0.0001). The duration and magnitude of gametocyte carriage were also lower for artesunate than chloroquine. By reducing the transmission of Plasmodium vivax to the vector, artesunate could therefore reduce the incidence of P. vivax malaria.