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A comparative study of the efficacies of chloroquine and a pyrimethamine‐dapsone combination in clearing Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia in school children in Tanzania
Author(s) -
Mshinda H.,
Font F.,
Hirt R.,
Mashaka M.,
Ascaso C.,
Menendez C.
Publication year - 1996
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-3156.1996.tb00113.x
Subject(s) - dapsone , chloroquine , medicine , malaria , pyrimethamine , plasmodium falciparum , regimen , proguanil , tanzania , sulfadoxine , pharmacology , immunology , environmental science , environmental planning
Summary A randomized study on the in vivo efficacies of chloroquine and a pyrimethamine‐dapsone combination (Maloprim) in clearing P. falciparum parasitaemia was carried out in 77 asymptomatic semi‐immune schoolchildren in the Kilombero District of Tanzania. Children were randomized to receive either chloroquine at a dose of 25 mg/kg over three days, or Maloprim (6·25 mg pyrimethamine+50 mg dapsone for children under 10 years, and 12.5 mg pyrimethamine+100 mg dapsone for children TO or more years old) as a single dose. Children were followed‐up for malaria parasitaemia at days 2, 7 and 14 after screening, randomization and treatment. The slide positivity rate was lower in the Maloprim group at all cross‐sectional surveys (23 vs 37% at day 2; 9 vs 20% at day 7; 21 vs 32% at day 14) but none of these differences reached statistical significance. No cases in the Maloprim group showed RII resistance, whereas in the chloroquine group, 2 cases showed RII resistance and a further 2 cases RIII resistance (6%). No major side‐effects were reported. The combination of pyrimethamine‐dapsone appears to be a better choice than chloroquine as a chemoprophylactic regimen for malaria in this area. Although they need to be confirmed in a larger study, these results may be of interest to the policy‐makers as well as researchers.