Efficacy of chloroquine, amodiaquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria: revisiting molecular markers in an area of emerging AQ and SP resistance in Mali.
BACKGROUND
To update the National Malaria Control Programme of Mali on the efficacy of chloroquine, amodiaquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria.


METHODS
During the malaria transmission seasons of 2002 and 2003, 455 children--between six and 59 months of age, with uncomplicated malaria in Kolle, Mali, were randomly assigned to one of three treatment arms. In vivo outcomes were assessed using WHO standard protocols. Genotyping of msp1, msp2 and CA1 polymorphisms were used to distinguish reinfection from recrudescent parasites (molecular correction).


RESULTS
Day 28 adequate clinical and parasitological responses (ACPR) were 14.1%, 62.3% and 88.9% in 2002 and 18.2%, 60% and 85.2% in 2003 for chloroquine, amodiaquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine, respectively. After molecular correction, ACPRs (cACPR) were 63.2%, 88.5% and 98.0% in 2002 and 75.5%, 85.2% and 96.6% in 2003 for CQ, AQ and SP, respectively. Amodiaquine was the most effective on fever. Amodiaquine therapy selected molecular markers for chloroquine resistance, while in the sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine arm the level of dhfr triple mutant and dhfr/dhps quadruple mutant increased from 31.5% and 3.8% in 2002 to 42.9% and 8.9% in 2003, respectively. No infection with dhps 540E was found.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, treatment with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine emerged as the most efficacious on uncomplicated falciparum malaria followed by amodiaquine. The study demonstrated that sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine and amodiaquine were appropriate partner drugs that could be associated with artemisinin derivatives in an artemisinin-based combination therapy.
Tekete
Mamadou
M
Department of Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Malaria Research and Training Center, Bamako, Mali. mtekete@mrtcbko.org
Djimde
Abdoulaye A
AA
Beavogui
Abdoul H
AH
Maiga
Hamma
H
Sagara
Issaka
I
Fofana
Bakary
B
Ouologuem
Dinkorma
D
Dama
Souleymane
S
Kone
Aminatou
A
Dembele
Demba
D
Wele
Mamadou
M
Dicko
Alassane
A
Doumbo
Ogobara K
OK
D000655:Amodiaquine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008302:Mali; D020066:Merozoite Surface Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020066:Merozoite Surface Protein 1; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C065974:merozoite surface protein 2, Plasmodium; D000655:Amodiaquine; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D002738:Chloroquine; D011739:Pyrimethamine