Word: falciparum
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...vicious falciparum type of malaria parasite is responsible for virtually all the malaria that strikes U.S. troops, despite their "Sunday pill" of chloroquine and pyrimethamine. These parasites even overcome the protective effect of a potent third antimalarial, dia-phenylsulfone (DOS), given to troops in the highlands. Falciparum's fever may be fatal if it attacks the brain. Last winter U.S. medics were saving nearly all their patients by intensive treatment with chloroquine and quinine, but 40% of the men suffered relapses...
...high of 160). A total of 213 cases was reported; of those, only six were of the "benign tertian" or vivax type. All other cases were caused by the far more virulent parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which sets off violent fevers and may make a fatal attack on the brain, spleen or other organs...
...month of October, and the total for November will probably be much higher. Hundreds of victims have already been evacuated to military hospitals around the Pacific because the armed forces routinely evacuate any man who is not expected to be able to return to duty within 30 days, and falciparum-malaria treatment and convalescence take from five to eight weeks...
Back to Quinine. Medically, the most disturbing aspect of malaria in Viet Nam is the appearance of falciparum parasites that are resistant to chloroquine, which was hailed only a few years ago as the almost perfect antimalarial drug. U.S. servicemen take a weekly prophylactic tablet containing 300 mg. of chloroquine and 45 mg. of another antimalarial known as primaquine. If they develop malaria despite this, they are likely to be infected by a resistant strain of parasites. If massive doses of chloroquine fail to bring the fever down within a few hours, the medics may switch to pyrimethamine (Daraprim), which...
...that shows some promise is DOS (diaphenylsulfone), normally used in leprosy. Another is a new, long-acting sulfa drug, Fanasil. Malariologists are running tests with prison volunteers to see whether DDS or Fanasil can be used, probably in combination with pyrimethamine, to beat back the chloroquine resistance of falciparum parasites in much of Southeast Asia...