Welcome to vnonline.co.uk

vnonline.co.uk provides the veterinary nursing profession with the latest news and industry developments, as well as events, resources, learning materials and careers.

Our website is dedicated to veterinary nurses and we strive to provide a platform where you can voice and explore your interests.

Not a member yet? Sign up for free!

Register for free with vnonline.co.uk to gain unlimited access to news, resources, jobs and much more!



Click here to become a member






Log in to vnonline

Forgot your password?

Posted: 25th September 2017

Malaria 'superbug' spreads across South East Asia
The spread of this malaria “superbug” has caused an alarming rise in treatment failures.
Spread has caused alarming rise in treatment failures

Scientists have raised serious concern over a highly drug-resistant malaria ‘superbug’ that is spreading across South East Asia.

In a letter published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, researchers say the spread of Plasmodium falciparum (p.falciparum) in the greater Mekon subregion ‘presents one of the greatest threats to the control and elimination of Malaria’.

They add that the ‘superbug’, which originated in Cambodia, is now present in southern Vietnam, leading to alarming failure rates of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine - Vietnam’s national first-line treatment.

“A single mutant strain of this very drug-resistant malaria has now spread from western Cambodia to north-eastern Thailand, southern Laos and into the southern Vietnam and caused a large increase in treatment failure of patients with malaria,” explained co-author Prof. Arjen Dondorp, head of malaria and deputy head of the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) in Thailand, Asia.

“This could result in an important increase in malaria transmission in these countries and several jeopardise their malaria elimination efforts,” he continued. “We hope this evidence will be used to re-emphasize the urgency of malaria elimination in the Mekon sub-region before falciparum maria becomes close to untreatable.”

The evolution and subsequent transnational spread of this single fit multidrug-resistant malaria parasite is of international concern, the researchers write in the letter.

“We are losing a dangerous race. The spread of this malaria “superbug” has caused an alarming rise in treatment failures forcing changes in drug policy and leaving few options for the future,” said letter co-author and Mahidol and Oxford University Prof, Sir Nicholas White. “We need to tackle this public health emergency urgently.”

Michael Chew from Wellcome's Infection and Immunobiology team added: "The spread of this malaria "superbug" strain, resistant to the most effective drug we have, is alarming and has major implications for public health globally.

“Around 700,000 people a year die from drug-resistant infections, including malaria. If nothing is done, this could increase to millions of people every year by 2050. Efforts to help track resistance to drugs are vital for improving diagnosis, treatment, and control of drug-resistant infections."



Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history



Latest news | Careers | Events | Resources | Contact us | Terms and conditions | Data Protection and Privacy |Cookie policy | About us | Copyright
© 2024 Vision Media, all rights reserved. vnonline.co.uk is not responsible for the content of external websites.