Summary

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• This summary is based on the review of seven systematic review(s)/meta-analysis(es). ^[1-7]
• Tafenoquine’s effectiveness in providing a radical cure for Plasmodium vivax malaria is dose-dependent, with a 300 mg dose resulting in 70% of the maximal hypnozoiticidal effect and a 450 mg dose reducing the risk of recurrence by 90%.
• Tafenoquine was as effective as primaquine in preventing P. vivax recurrences (relative risk (RR) 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.8 to 1.34) and significantly reduced recurrences compared to placebo (RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.88).
• In long-term travelers, tafenoquine with maintenance doses was as effective as mefloquine for malaria prevention (odds ratio (OR) = 1.05; 95% CI: 0.44-2.46), and a loading dose of tafenoquine alone was equally effective for short-term travelers (OR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.04-22.42).
• Tafenoquine is generally well-tolerated in adults, with no convincing evidence for neurologic, ophthalmic, or cardiac toxicities. However, reversible asymptomatic vortex keratopathy and a single serious case of decreased macular sensitivity were reported.
• Significant adverse events related to hemoglobin levels were observed, with 15 out of 23 serious events in the tafenoquine groups involving a drop in hemoglobin by >3 g/dL.
• Tafenoquine should not be given to pregnant women or individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency due to the risk of hemolysis, and it remains untested in children. Study participants ranged in age from 12 to 60 years, with 27.3% being women.