Habits of malaria chemoprophylaxis and an analysis of breakdowns in a West African mining town.
In a West African community approximately 80% of the non-African personnel were taking malaria prophylactics in the recommended manner. The non-takers stated that they were afraid of side-effects of the drugs and/or under-estimated the risks of the disease. During one year 123 patients with clinically suspected malaria were studied. All patients with positive slides were cured with regular dose of 1.5 g chloroquine base. No chloroquine resistance was therefore demonstrated, although 4-aminoquinoline prophylaxis had been given for almost 20 years to thousands of non-African non-immunes as well as in pregnant women and children in the town. Common reasons for 'breakdowns' were febrile disease other than malaria, false positive diagnosis and improper chemoprophylaxis.
D002738:Chloroquine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004351:Drug Resistance; D006801:Humans; D007988:Liberia; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000187:drug effects; D002727:Proguanil / Q000627:therapeutic use
D002738:Chloroquine; D002727:Proguanil