[Therapeutic efficacy of different antimalarial regimens in the Costa Rica-Nicaragua border region].
The search for short treatments for malaria is still a goal for many developing countries. The World Health Organization has recommended a three-day treatment with primaquine and quinine, but this treatment is difficult to apply in many rural areas because it requires a malaria technician to stay at least three days in a community. This is very hard when these communities are dispersed and increases the cost of treatment and supplies. This study tested treatments of 1, 5, and 9 days against a treatment of 14 days. Using the Kaplan-Meier method, no statistical difference was found among these four treatment approaches. We strongly recommend using the one-day treatment, in and endemic rural areas where the population is dispersed and has difficulty accessing health care.
Bergonzoli
G
G
Organización Panamericana de la Salud, Guatemala. gustavob@ops.org.gt
Rivers Cuadra
J C
JC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003364:Costa Rica; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D009527:Nicaragua; D011319:Primaquine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D000962:Antimalarials; D002738:Chloroquine; D011319:Primaquine