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| Malaria parasites 'resist drugs' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| International scientists say they have found the first evidence of resistance to the world's most effective drug for treating malaria. | International scientists say they have found the first evidence of resistance to the world's most effective drug for treating malaria. |
| They say the trend in western Cambodia has to be urgently contained because full-blown resistance would be a global health catastrophe. | They say the trend in western Cambodia has to be urgently contained because full-blown resistance would be a global health catastrophe. |
| Drugs are taking longer to clear blood of malaria parasites than before. | Drugs are taking longer to clear blood of malaria parasites than before. |
| This is an early warning sign of emerging resistance to a disease which kills a million people every year. | This is an early warning sign of emerging resistance to a disease which kills a million people every year. |
| Until now the most effective drug cleared all malaria parasites from the blood within two or three days but in recent trials this took up to four or five days. | Until now the most effective drug cleared all malaria parasites from the blood within two or three days but in recent trials this took up to four or five days. |
| The BBC's Jill McGivering, reporting from Cambodia, says it is unclear why the region has become a nursery for the resistance - but the local public health system is weak, and the use of anti-malaria drugs is not properly controlled. | The BBC's Jill McGivering, reporting from Cambodia, says it is unclear why the region has become a nursery for the resistance - but the local public health system is weak, and the use of anti-malaria drugs is not properly controlled. |
| Drug defence | Drug defence |
| The artemesinin family of drugs is the world's front-line defence against the most prevalent and deadly form of malaria. | The artemesinin family of drugs is the world's front-line defence against the most prevalent and deadly form of malaria. |
| class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8072742.stm">Drug resistance in Cambodia | |
| Two teams of scientists, working on separate clinical trials, have reported seeing the disturbing evidence that the drugs are becoming much less effective. | Two teams of scientists, working on separate clinical trials, have reported seeing the disturbing evidence that the drugs are becoming much less effective. |
| There is particular concern because previous generations of malaria drugs have been undermined by resistance which started in this way, in this part of the world, our correspondent reports. | There is particular concern because previous generations of malaria drugs have been undermined by resistance which started in this way, in this part of the world, our correspondent reports. |
| Professor Nick Day is the director of the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, one of the teams involved in the research. | Professor Nick Day is the director of the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, one of the teams involved in the research. |
| "Twice in the past, South East Asia has made a gift, unwittingly, of drug resistant parasites to the rest of the world, in particular to Africa," he said. | "Twice in the past, South East Asia has made a gift, unwittingly, of drug resistant parasites to the rest of the world, in particular to Africa," he said. |
| "That's the problem. We've had chloroquine and SP resistance, both of which have caused major loss of life in Africa," in said in reference to earlier generation anti-malarial drugs. | "That's the problem. We've had chloroquine and SP resistance, both of which have caused major loss of life in Africa," in said in reference to earlier generation anti-malarial drugs. |
| "If the same thing happens again, the spread of a resistant parasite from Asia to Africa, that will have devastating consequences for malaria control," he said. | "If the same thing happens again, the spread of a resistant parasite from Asia to Africa, that will have devastating consequences for malaria control," he said. |
| Health systems | Health systems |
| Cambodia has long been a laboratory for malaria investigators and a nursery of anti-malaria drug resistance. | Cambodia has long been a laboratory for malaria investigators and a nursery of anti-malaria drug resistance. |
| The fight against malaria has lasted generations | The fight against malaria has lasted generations |
| Alongside a weak public health system and poorly-controlled drug use, there are many fake drugs, produced by international criminals. | Alongside a weak public health system and poorly-controlled drug use, there are many fake drugs, produced by international criminals. |
| These fakes often contain a small amount of the real drug to fool tests, which can also help to fuel resistance. | These fakes often contain a small amount of the real drug to fool tests, which can also help to fuel resistance. |
| Those working to control malaria are calling for urgent action to contain this emerging resistance. | Those working to control malaria are calling for urgent action to contain this emerging resistance. |
| If it strengthens and spreads, they warn, many millions of lives will be at risk. About half the world's population faces exposure to the disease. | If it strengthens and spreads, they warn, many millions of lives will be at risk. About half the world's population faces exposure to the disease. |