title: [Gametocyte levels in response to differing malaria treatments in two municipalities of Colombia].
abstract: Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte levels are influenced by level of regional endemicity, the antimalarial treatment, and the therapeutic response of patients. Few previous studies have related these factors in Colombia. Here, gametocytaemia was evaluated with respect to two treatment schemes (sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine plus chloroquine), the patient response (adequate or failure), and the locality (two areas of varying case frequency). One hundred forty-eight residents of Turbo and Zaragoza (Antioquia), all with uncomplicated malaria, were evaluated. The gametocytaemia and the rates of clinical malaria at the beginning of treatment were greater in Turbo than in Zaragoza. No statistically significant differences in the gametocytaemia by treatment schemes or therapeutic responses were noted, although the patients who received SP had more gametocytes than those treated with SP+CQ. Gametocytaemia was not correlated with asexual parasitemia or sex and age of patient. The difference in the level of gametocytaemia between Turbo and Zaragoza appears to be influenced by the time elapsed between the appearance of symptoms and the beginning of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Malaria, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arango
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blair
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003105:Colombia; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005718:Gametogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D002738:Chloroquine; D011739:Pyrimethamine