[Relapse of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in a patient treated with artesunate]. / Rechute d'un paludisme à Plasmodium falciparum après un traitement par artésunate.

Chemoprophylaxis and the curative treatment of malaria are well documented in France. Nevertheless this data is still not accounted for by healthcare professionals and in the global population, and no longer approved treatments may be prescribed. The authors report the case of a 24-year-old female traveler having stayed in Africa where she was used to treat fever with artesunate. Soon after her return, she presented with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria once again treated with artesunate. The evolution was initially favorable but a relapse occurred 3 weeks later. A conventional mefloquine treatment lead to a final cure. This observation confirms that artesunate monotherapy in malaria exposes to a risk of relapse. Artesunate should not be used as monotherapy in P. falciparum malaria.