Dosing Recommendations for Prevention and Treatment of Malaria

For Travel To Chloroquine-Sensitive Areas:

• Chloroquine base 5 mg/kg body weight base by mouth, up to 300 mg once weekly (equivalent to 7.5 mg/kg body weight chloroquine phosphate). Start 1–2 weeks before leaving, take weekly while away, and then take once weekly for 4 weeks after returning home
• Atovaquone/proguanil once daily started 1–2 days before travel, for duration of stay, and then for 1 week after returning home
  • 11–20 kg; 1 pediatric tablet (62.5 mg/25 mg)
  • 21–30 kg, 2 pediatric tablets (125 mg/50 mg)
  • 31–40 kg; 3 pediatric tablets (187.5 mg/75 mg)
  • >40 kg; 1 adult tablet (250 mg/100 mg)
• Doxycycline 2.2 mg/kg body weight (maximum 100 mg) by mouth once daily for children aged ≥8 years. Must be taken 1-2 days before travel, daily while away, and then up to 4 weeks after returning
• Mefloquine 5 mg/kg body weight orally given once weekly (max 250 mg)

For Areas with Mainly P. Vivax:

• Primaquine phosphate 0.6 mg/kg body weight base once daily by mouth, up to a maximum of 30 mg base/day. Starting 1 day before leaving, taken daily, and for 3–7 days after return

For Travel to Chloroquine-Resistant Areas:

• Atovaquone/proguanil once daily started 1–2 days before travel, for duration of stay, and then for 1 week after returning home
  • 11–20 kg; 1 pediatric tablet (62.5 mg/25 mg)
  • 21–30 kg, 2 pediatric tablets (125 mg/50 mg)
  • 31–40 kg; 3 pediatric tablets (187.5 mg/75 mg)
  • >40 kg; 1 adult tablet (250 mg/100 mg)
• Doxycycline 2.2 mg/kg body weight (maximum 100 mg) by mouth once daily for children aged ≥8 years. Must be taken 1–2 days before travel, daily while away, and then up to 4 weeks after returning
• Mefloquine 5 mg/kg body weight orally given once weekly (maximum 250 mg)

For P. vivax or P. ovale:

• Primaquine 0.5 mg/kg base (0.8 mg/kg salt) up to adult dose orally, daily for 14 days after departure from the malarious area

Uncomplicated P. Falciparum or Unknown Malaria Species, from Chloroquine-Resistant Areas (All Malaria Areas Except Those Listed as Chloroquine Sensitive) or Unknown Region:

• Atovaquone-proguanil (pediatric tablets 62.5 mg/25 mg; adult tablets 250 mg/100 mg), dosed once daily:
  • 5–8 kg; 2 pediatric tablets for 3 days;
  • 9–10 kg; 3 pediatric tablets for 3 days;
  • 11–20 kg; 4 pediatric tablets or 1 adult tablet for 3 days;
  • 21–30 kg; 2 adult tablets for 3 days;
  • 31–40 kg; 3 adult tablets for 3 days;
  • >40 kg; 4 adult tablets for 3 days

Uncomplicated P. Falciparum OR Unknown Malaria Species From Chloroquine-Sensitive Region (See Comments for Link to Resistance Map):

• Chloroquine phosphate: 16.6 mg/kg body weight (10 mg/kg body weight chloroquine base) (maximum 1000 mg) by mouth once, then 8.3 mg/kg body weight (maximum 500 mg) by mouth at 6, 24, and 48 hours (total dose = 41.6 mg/kg body weight chloroquine phosphate [maximum 2500 mg] = 25 mg/kg body weight chloroquine base)

P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, P. knowlesi (All Areas Except Papua New Guinea, Indonesia; See Comments)
Initial Therapy (Followed by Anti-Relapse Therapy for P. Ovale and P. Vivax):

• Chloroquine phosphate 16.6 mg/kg body weight (10 mg/kg body weight chloroquine base) (maximum 1000 mg) by mouth once, then 8.3 mg/kg body weight (maximum 500 mg) by mouth at 6, 24, and 48 hours (total dose = 41.6 mg/kg body weight chloroquine phosphate [maximum 2500 mg] = 25 mg/kg body weight chloroquine base)

Anti-Relapse Therapy for P. ovale, P. vivax:

• Primaquine 0.5 mg base/kg body weight (max 30 mg base) by mouth once daily for 14 days

Uncomplicated P. falciparum or Unknown Malaria Species from Chloroquine-Resistant Areas (All Malaria Areas Except Those Listed as Chloroquine Sensitive) or Unknown Region:

• Mefloquine (250-mg tablets only): 15 mg/kg body weight (maximum 750 mg) by mouth once, then 10 mg/kg body weight (maximum 500 mg) by mouth given 12 hours later
• Quinine sulfate 10 mg/kg body weight (maximum 650 mg) per dose by mouth every 8 hours for 3 to 7 days, plus Clindamycin 7 mg/kg body weight per dose by mouth every 8 hours for 7 days, or doxycycline: 2.2 mg/kg body weight per dose (maximum 100 mg) given by mouth every 12 hours, or tetracycline 6–12.5 mg/kg body weight per dose by mouth given every 6 hours (maximum dose: 500 mg per dose given 4 times daily) for 7 days.
• Artemether-lumefantrine: 1 tablet=20 mg Artemether and 120 mg lumefantrine, a 3-day treatment schedule for a total of 6 doses. The second dose follows the initial dose 8 hours later, then 1 dose twice daily for the next 2 days.
  • 5 to <15 kg; 1 tablet per dose
  • 15 to <25 kg; 2 tablets per dose
  • 25 to <35 kg; 3 tablets per dose
  • >35 kg; 4 tablets per dose

For quinine-based regimens, doxycycline or tetracycline should be used only in children aged ≥8 years. An alternative for children aged ≥8 years is clindamycin 7 mg/kg body weight per dose by mouth given every 8 hours. Clindamycin should be used for children aged <8 years.

Before primaquine is given, G6PD status must be verified. Primaquine may be given in combination with chloroquine if the G6PD status is known and negative, otherwise give after chloroquine (when G6PD status is available)

For most updated prevention and treatment recommendations for specific region, refer to updated CDC treatment table available at https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/resources/pdf/Malaria_Treatment_Table.pdf 

For sensitive and resistant malaria by country: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2024/preparing/yellow-fever-vaccine-malaria-prevention-by-country  

High treatment failure rates due to chloroquine-resistant P. vivax have been documented in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Treatment should be selected from one of the three following options:

• Atovaquone-proguanil plus primaquine phosphate
• Quinine sulfate plus EITHER doxycycline OR tetracycline PLUS primaquine phosphate. This regimen cannot be used in children aged <8 years.
• Mefloquine plus primaquine phosphate

Quinidine gluconate 10 mg/kg body weight IV loading dose over 1–2 hours, then 0.02 mg/kg body weight/minute infusion for ≥24 hours (Treatment duration: 7 days in Southeast Asia, Oceania, otherwise 3 days)

PLUS One of the Following:

• Doxycycline 100 mg per dose by mouth every 12 hours for 7 days; for children <45 kg, use 2.2 mg/kg body weight per dose
  OR
• Clindamycin 7 mg/kg body weight per dose by mouth given every 8 hours for 7 days.
  OR
• Tetracycline 6–12.5 mg/kg body weight per dose every 6 hours (maximum dose 500 mg per dose given 4 times daily) for 7 days

Artesunate 2.4 mg/kg body weight IV bolus at 0, 12, 24, and 48 hours

PLUS One of the Following:

• Doxycycline (treatment dosing as above), or Atovaquone-proguanil (treatment dosing as above), or
• Mefloquine 15 mg/kg body weight (maximum 750 mg) by mouth once, then 10 mg/kg body weight (maximum 500 mg) by mouth once given 12 hours later, or
• Clindamycin (dosing as above)

Quinidine gluconate is a class 1a anti-arrhythmic agent not typically stocked in pediatric hospitals. When regional supplies are unavailable, the CDC Malaria hotline may be of assistance (see below). Do not give quinidine gluconate as an IV bolus. Quinidine gluconate IV should be administered in a monitored setting. Cardiac monitoring required. Adverse events including severe hypoglycemia, prolongation of the QT interval, ventricular arrhythmia, and hypotension can result from the use of this drug at treatment doses.

IND: IV artesunate is available from CDC. Contact the CDC Malaria Hotline at (770) 488-7788 from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. EST or (770) 488-7100 after hours, weekends, and holidays. Artesunate followed by one of the following: Atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone™), clindamycin, mefloquine, or (for children aged >8 years) doxycycline.

Quinidine gluconate: 10 mg = 6.25 mg quinidine base.

Doxycycline (or tetracycline) should be used in children aged ≥8 years. For patients unable to take oral medication, may give IV. For children <45 kg, give 2.2 mg/kg IV every 12 hours and then switch to oral doxycycline. For children >45 kg, use the same dosing as per adults. For IV use, avoid rapid administration.

For patients unable to take oral clindamycin, give 10 mg base/kg loading dose IV, followed by 5 mg base/kg IV every 8 hours. Switch to oral clindamycin (oral dose as above) as soon as a patient can take oral medication. For IV use, avoid rapid administration.

Drug Interactions:

• Avoid co-administration of quinidine with ritonavir
• Use quinidine with caution with other protease inhibitors.