Barriers to routine G6PD testing prior to treatment with primaquine.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Primaquine is essential for the radical cure of vivax malaria, however its broad application is hindered by the risk of drug-induced haemolysis in individuals with glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Rapid diagnostic tests capable of diagnosing G6PD deficiency are now available, but these are not used widely.

Methods

A series of qualitative interviews were conducted with policy makers and healthcare providers in four vivax-endemic countries. Routine G6PD testing is not part of current policy in Bangladesh, Cambodia or China, but it is in Malaysia. The interviews were analysed with regard to respondents perceptions of vivax malaria, -primaquine based treatment for malaria and the complexities of G6PD deficiency.

Results

Three barriers to the

SUBMITTER: Ley B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5553859 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature