Treatment of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria with quinidine gluconate: discontinuation of parenteral quinine from CDC drug service.

CDC has recently reviewed data on the reported incidence in the United States of Plasmodium falciparum malaria and has evaluated information on the effective management of severe life-threatening infections. As a result of this review, CDC has concluded that the drug of choice in the United States for treatment of complicated P. falciparum infections is parenteral quinidine gluconate. Therefore, effective immediately, parenteral quinine dihydrochloride will no longer be available from the CDC Drug Service.