Antimalarial chemotherapy: A relentless challenge

Chloroquine resistance has spread to nearly every country with Plasmodium falciparum transmission, thus necessitating the use of second-line medications for effective treatment. This problem is most acute in Southeast Asia, where development of resistance to most second-line medications, including mefloquine, halofantrine, and quinine, has been documented. The status of drug resistance in Southeast Asia is reviewed in this article, and the current knowledge of the clinical use of artemisinin and its derivatives is provided.