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Compliance with and tolerance of mefloquine and chloroquine + proguanil malaria chemoprophylaxis in French short‐term travellers to sub‐Saharan Africa
Author(s) -
Carme Bernard,
Peguet Chantal,
Nevez Gilles
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3156.1997.d01-153.x
Subject(s) - chemoprophylaxis , mefloquine , medicine , proguanil , chloroquine , malaria , malaria prophylaxis , surgery , immunology
Summary To compare the compliance with and tolerance of mefloquine (MQ) and chloroquine + proguanil (CQ‐PRO) chemoprophylaxis, we conducted a study using a self‐reported questionnaire in 2 groups of native French adult visitors to Senegal or Kenya. CQ (100 mg daily) + PRO (200 mg daily) prophylaxis was prescribed for all patients tiavelling to Senegal and for those going to Kenya when MQ was contraindicated; MQ (250 mg weekly) was prescribed for the other subjects. There were no significant differences in age, sex, exposition and measures of protection against mosquito bites, concomitant drug use or mean duration of chemoprophylaxis between the 2 groups, and compliance during travel was excellent in both. Chemoprophylaxis was more frequently interrupted prematurely in the MQ group. The rates of overall side‐effects attributed to malaria chemoprophylaxis were 16% for MQ against 12% for CQ‐PRO (not significant). However, nonserirous neuropsychiatric adverse events are more frequent with MQ: 11.5% compared to 2% with CQ‐PRO. MQ should be used with caution.