Figure 3

Evolution of the proportion of malaria cases due to Plasmodium falciparum in the Amazon from the year of 1999 to 2009. Since P. falciparum gametocytes only appear in the peripheral blood after 8 to 10 days of infection, prompt diagnosis and adequate treatment of the P. falciparum malaria cases can interrupt parasite transmission more efficiently than it can do in the case of P. vivax malaria, in which gametocytes are already present in the circulation in the first three days of blood infection [15]. * Beginning of the new therapy artemether/lumefantrine, the first line regimen for non-complicated falciparum malaria in Brazil. Source: Sivep - Malaria - Data updated on September 9th, 2008.