Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled assessment of chloroquine/primaquine prophylaxis for malaria in nonimmune Colombian soldiers.
To improve upon the efficacy of primaquine prophylaxis for malaria (94%, Plasmodium falciparum malaria; 85%, Plasmodium vivax malaria), we administered chloroquine (300 mg weekly) in combination with primaquine (30 mg daily) to nonimmune Colombian soldiers during 16 weeks of patrol in a region of endemicity and for a further 1 week in base camp. The occurrence of symptomatic parasitemia was determined during those 17 weeks and during a further 3 weeks in base camp. The protective efficacy for the chloroquine/primaquine treatment group of 100 subjects, compared with that for the placebo treatment group of 51 subjects, was 88% (95% confidence interval [CI], 76-94) against all types of malaria, 89% (95% CI, 61-97) against P. falciparum malaria, and 88% (95% CI, 58-93) against P. vivax malaria. Two chloroquine/primaquine recipients had severe gastrointestinal distress. Comparison of these data with data from a previous study indicates that the addition of chloroquine did not increase the prophylactic efficacy of primaquine.
Soto
J
J
Consorcio de Investigaciones Bioclinicas, Direccion de Sanidad Ejercito, and Ministerio de Salud, Bogotá, Columbia.
Toledo
J
J
Rodriquez
M
M
Sanchez
J
J
Herrera
R
R
Padilla
J
J
Berman
J
J
D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003105:Colombia; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000517:prevention & control; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000517:prevention & control; D008889:Military Personnel; D011319:Primaquine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000962:Antimalarials; D002738:Chloroquine; D011319:Primaquine