Therapeutic efficacy of quinine plus sulfadoxine-pyremethamine for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Bangladesh.

Abstract

In terms of drug resistance Bangladesh acts as an important gateway to the Indian Subcontinent. However, little is known about the current status of drug resistance in this country. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the therapeutic efficacy as well as in vitro drug sensitivity of quinine for 3 days plus a single dose of sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (Q3F), an affordable alternative to the previously used chloroquine, for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Sixty-three patients were enrolled in the study; the overall cure rate in a 42-day follow-up after PCR adjustment was 87.3% (95% CI: 77.6-94.1). One patient was classified as early treatment failure (1.7%, 95% CI: 0.0-8.9%); 6 patients (10%; 95% CI: 3.8-20.5%) had late treatment failures within a median time of 27 days. HRP2 in vitro drug sensitivity tests were performed on all samples. Significantly higher (P = 0.008) in vitro IC(50)s for pyrimethamine in treatment failures reflect the somewhat compromised drug sensitivity to this drug. These data suggest that the combination of 3 days of quinine with a single dose of sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine is an interesting and affordable alternative as long as or whenever ACT is not available.

• Authors: Kamala Thriemer, Rashidul Haque, Yukiko Wagatsuma, Mohammed Abdus Salam, Selim Akther, Bernhard Attlmayr, Mark Fukuda, Kurt Schaecher, R Scott Miller, Harald Noedl
• Journal: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene (Am J Trop Med Hyg) Vol. 75 Issue 4 Pg. 645-9 (Oct 2006) ISSN: 0002-9637 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17038687 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Antimalarials
• Drug Combinations
• fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination
• Sulfadoxine
• Chloroquine
• Quinine
• Pyrimethamine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Animals
• Antimalarials (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Bangladesh
• Chloroquine (pharmacology)
• Drug Combinations
• Drug Resistance
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Female
• Humans
• Malaria, Falciparum (drug therapy)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Parasitic Sensitivity Tests
• Plasmodium falciparum (drug effects)
• Pyrimethamine (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Quinine (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Sulfadoxine (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Treatment Failure