Out of Africa: Increasing reports of artemether-lumefantrine treatment failures of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum infection.

The article discusses the increasing reports of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) treatment failures in treating uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum infection, particularly in Africa. AL is the most widely used artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) and is at the greatest risk of losing efficacy. The article highlights the importance of monitoring antimalarial efficacy in returning travelers, as they can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of treatments. The study conducted in Israel found that AL failure rates increased over time, and while no concerning mutations were found, the researchers identified a Pfcoronin gene mutation associated with treatment failure. The article emphasizes the need for diversification of antimalarial drug choices to avoid overreliance on a single therapy and to preserve the efficacy of ACTs. [Extracted from the article]