title: [Efficacy of the amodiaquine+sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combination and of chloroquine for the treatment of malaria in Córdoba, Colombia, 2006].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The decrease in the efficacy of antimalarial drugs in the world and in Colombia hampers its control.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The in vivo therapeutic efficacy of the amodiaquine+sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combination was evaluated in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria and of chloroquine for P. vivax malaria.
  
  
  METHODS
  From May to November 2006, in vivo efficacy studies of malaria treatments were undertaken in Tierralta, Córdoba, northeastern Colombia. Standard protocols were followed as recommended by the World Health Organization/Panamerican Health Organization, with some modifications. Patients older than two years with single P. falciparum or P. vivax infection, with asexual parasitemia between 500 and 50,000 parasites/microl, were selected according to established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Supervised treatment was administered, and clinical and parasitological follow-up was carried out on days 0 (inclusion), 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28. The outcome was defined as adequate clinical and parasitological response, early therapeutic failure, or late therapeutic failure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 53 subjects selected, 50 (94.3%; CI 70%-100%) presented adequate clinical and parasitological response to the amodiaquine+sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria. One patient presented early therapeutic failure, and two developed late therapeutic failure. All of the 50 patients (95%CI: 74%-100%) in the invivo efficacy study of chloroquine for vivax malaria presented adequate clinical and parasitological response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Cordoba, the amodiaquine+sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combination and chloroquine show a high efficacy for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum and vivax malaria, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
authors.forename: Manuel Alberto
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Liliana Jazmín
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Cortés
authors.forename: Angela Patricia
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: Angélica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knudson
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Usta
authors.forename: Rubén Santiago
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Nicholls
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000655:Amodiaquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003105:Colombia; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000655:Amodiaquine; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D002738:Chloroquine; D011739:Pyrimethamine