Suppression of malaria with monthly administration of combined sulphadoxine and pyrimethamine.
A trial of suppression of malaria by administration of combined sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine tablets every 28 days was undertaken in West Malaysia during 1972. One thousand subjects were followed over a 10-month period, including control groups on placebo and on weekly chloroquine. Subjects were examined monthly for parasitaemia, drug reactions, leucopenia, teratogenicity and haemolysis among the subjects deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Rates of new infections in the placebo group were 8.0% with Plasmodium falciparum and 6.2% with P. vivax; in the group receiving weekly chloroquine, 5.1% P. falciparum and 0.3% P. vivax; and in the group receiving monthly sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine, 0.3% P. Falciparum and 1.0% P. vivax. The effective rate of cure of new infections with P. falciparum by a single suppressive dose of combined sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine given the following month was 88.7%. No serious side effects were observed.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001769:Blood / Q000469:parasitology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D010966:Plasmodium vivax; D011247:Pregnancy; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013424:Sulfanilamides / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D004338:Drug Combinations; D010919:Placebos; D013424:Sulfanilamides; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D002738:Chloroquine; D011739:Pyrimethamine