Good news from the field of malaria: The FDA has recently approved a new treatment for Plasmodium vivax malaria, the first new treatment for P.vivax in 60 years.

The drug, called tafenoquine, is given as a single dose to eradicate the parasites in the liver which are responsible for causing relapses. Primaquine is currently used for this indication, but needs to be given for 14 days.

Tafenoquine can be given at the same time as a blood schizonticide (e.g. artemether/lumefantrine) to treat the acute infection. Tafenoquine should not be given to patients with G6PD deficiency.