Amodiaquine treatment of uncomplicated malaria in children, in an area of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in north-central Nigeria.
The efficacy of amodiaquine against Plasmodium falciparum malaria was assessed in an area of confirmed chloroquine resistance in the cool, north-central plateau of Nigeria, using a 14-day protocol. The patients were all children aged <5 years of age. The drug proved highly efficacious, giving a cure 'rate' of 100% on day 14 and mean fever- and parasite-clearance times of 1.11 and 3.11 days, respectively. It was also well tolerated. Following treatment, packed-cell volumes (PCV) generally increased (65% of patients) but remained constant (12%) or even decreased (23%) in some patients; the overall improvement in PCV was not statistically significant (P >0.05). The results justify the use of amodiaquine to treat P. falciparum malaria in those who have failed treatment with chloroquine and the second-line drugs (e.g. sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine) currently used in Nigeria. As the amodiaquine would be better employed as one part of a combination than on its own, there is a need to identify suitable partner compounds.
Molta
N B
NB
Department of Zoology, University of Jos, PMB 2084, Jos, Nigeria. nbmolta@hotmail.com
Oguche
S
S
Pam
S D
SD
Omalu
I C J
IC
Afolabi
B M
BM
Odujoko
J B
JB
Amajoh
C N
CN
Adeniji
B
B
Wuyep
V P
VP
Ekanem
O J
OJ
D000655:Amodiaquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000962:Antimalarials; D000655:Amodiaquine; D002738:Chloroquine