[Efficacy of the amodiaquine+sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combination and of chloroquine for the treatment of malaria in Córdoba, Colombia, 2006].
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.
Pérez
Manuel Alberto
MA
Grupo de Parasitología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, D.C, Colombia.
Cortés
Liliana Jazmín
LJ
Guerra
Angela Patricia
AP
Knudson
Angélica
A
Usta
Carlos
C
Nicholls
Rubén Santiago
RS
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
D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000655:Amodiaquine; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D002738:Chloroquine; D011739:Pyrimethamine