Effect of weekly versus daily primaquine on Plasmodium vivax malaria recurrences: A real-life cohort study

Abstract

Background: Although primaquine (PQ) is indicated for G6PD-deficient patients, data on weekly PQ use in Brazil are limited. Methods: We aimed to investigate malaria recurrences among participants receiving daily and weekly PQ treatments in a real-life setting of two municipalities in the Amazon between 2019 and 2020. Results: Patients receiving weekly PQ treatment had a lower risk of recurrence than those receiving daily PQ treatment (risk ratio: 0.62, 95% confidence interval: 0.41–0.94), using a model adjusted for study site. Conclusions: Weekly PQ use did not increase the risk of malaria recurrence. Further studies with larger populations are warranted.