The analysis found that children younger than age five who were very underweight for their height had nearly double the risk of malaria treatment failing, even when given the World Health Organisation recommended doses of an artemisinin-based combination therapy. This is currently the best treatment for falciparum malaria.
47 million children across the world are estimated to suffer from acute malnutrition, with a 30% increase in the last three years (an additional 13.6 million children). Areas with malnutrition overlap with those affected by malaria across many tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world, and children under five account for 80% of all malaria deaths.
The results from the research study suggest that acute malnutrition in children may play a role not only in treatment failure, but it also puts this vulnerable group at higher risk of severe malaria and death.