Chloroquine resistant malaria in children.

Malaria remains a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. The changing susceptibility of Malaria parasites to drugs means that it is no longer possible to make global generalization about its chemotherapy. This study was conducted in District Hospital, Mirpurkhas, Sindh. Over sixteen months period four hundred and six patients had slide documented malarial parasites. Sixty-five percent had plasmodium falciparum, 33% plasmodium vivax and 2% had both. Approximately, 81% responded to chloroquine while 19% were non-responders. Chloroquine non-responders were treated with halofantrine or sulfadoxine--pyrimethamine combination. P. falciparum being the dominant species and its emergence of resistance to Chloroquine, in life threatening and serious forms of malaria should be treated with parenteral quinine. Antimalarials other than Chloroquine should be reserved for non-responders. Therefore, rational use of drugs is essential.