Can Gio

Researchers are evaluating the optimal dose of tafenoquine for the radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria in Southeast Asia. Tafenoquine is a recently approved drug that targets the dormant liver stage of P. vivax and offers the advantage of a single-dose treatment compared to the 14-day course of primaquine. The study aims to compare the currently recommended tafenoquine dose of 300 mg to a 50% higher dose to determine which provides better efficacy in this region, where higher doses of primaquine are typically needed for cure. A total of 700 participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the standard 300 mg dose or a higher 450 mg dose of tafenoquine, given as a single dose based on weight bands. Participants will also receive a schizonticidal agent, either chloroquine or artemether-lumefantrine, depending on the study site. Drug administration will be directly observed by study staff. Follow-up visits will occur daily until malaria parasites are cleared, then on days 7, 14, 21, 28, and monthly up to month 4. Participants will be monitored for adverse events, medication adherence, and parasite recurrence during this period. Throughout the study, participants will undergo medical history review, vital sign checks, physical exams, blood sampling, and laboratory testing, including glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase levels and pregnancy tests for eligibility. Researchers will track malaria recurrence by microscopy up to four months after treatment to assess efficacy. Safety will be monitored continuously, and participants with adverse events will receive appropriate follow-up care. The total study duration for each participant is four months from enrollment, regardless of any malaria recurrence episodes.