title: Effects of chloroquine and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine on gametocytes in patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Colombia.
abstract: The effect of antimalarials on gametocytes can influence transmission and the spread of drug resistance. In order to further understand this relationship, we determined the proportion of gametocyte carriers over time post-treatment in patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria who were treated with either chloroquine (CQ) or sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP). The overall proportion of gametocyte carriers was high (85%) and not statistically significantly different between the CQ and SP treatment groups. However, an increased risk of carrying gametocytes on day 14 of follow up (1.26 95% CI 1.10-1.45) was found among patients having therapeutic failure to CQ compared with patients having an adequate therapeutic response. This finding confirms and extends reports of increased risk of gametocytaemia among CQ resistant P. falciparum.
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Lyda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Osorio
authors.forename: Beatriz E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Ferro
authors.forename: Carmen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Castillo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003105:Colombia; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005718:Gametogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D002738:Chloroquine; D011739:Pyrimethamine