title: Changes in malaria incidence after mass drug administration in Nicaragua.
abstract: Mass drug administration (MDA) in 1981 reduced the incidence rates of both Plasmodium vivax and P falciparum infection in Nicaragua. Impact on P vivax cases lasted for four months and on P falciparum for seven. Subtherapeutic primaquine doses, the shorter extrinsic cycle of P vivax in the insect vector, and the timing of MDA at a high-transmission period of the year may explain the limited effects of the campaign. Positive results of the anti-malaria campaign included improvements in case-finding and routine surveillance, the apparent prevention of at least 9200 malaria cases, the training of some 70 000 antimalaria volunteers, and the participation of about 70% of the population in anti-malarial activities.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D009527:Nicaragua; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum; D010966:Plasmodium vivax; D011319:Primaquine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D002738:Chloroquine; D011319:Primaquine