HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

Comparing the impact of artemisinin-based combination therapies on malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa.

Abstract
Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are currently considered the first-line treatments for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Among these, artemether-lumefantrine (AL) has been the most widely prescribed ACT in sub-Saharan Africa. Recent clinical trials conducted in sub-Saharan Africa have shown that dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP), a most recent ACT, may have a longer post-treatment prophylactic period and post-treatment infection period (duration of gametocyte carriage) than AL. Using epidemiological and clinical data on the efficacy of AL and DP, we developed and parameterized a mathematical transmission model that we used to compare the population-level impact of AL and DP for reducing P. falciparum malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. Our results showed that DP is likely to more effectively reduce malaria incidence of clinical episodes than AL. However in low P. falciparum transmission areas, DP and AL are likely to be equally effective in reducing malaria prevalence. The predictions of our model were shown to be robust to the empirical uncertainty summarizing the epidemiological parameters. DP should be considered as a replacement for AL as first-line treatment of uncomplicated malaria in highly endemic P. falciparum communities. To optimize the effectiveness of ACTs, it is necessary to tailor treatment policies to the transmission intensity in different settings.
AuthorsMartial L Ndeffo Mbah, Sunil Parikh, Alison P Galvani
JournalThe American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene (Am J Trop Med Hyg) Vol. 92 Issue 3 Pg. 555-60 (Mar 2015) ISSN: 1476-1645 [Electronic] United States
PMID25624402 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)
Copyright© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Chemical References
  • Artemisinins
  • artemisinin
Topics
  • Africa South of the Sahara (epidemiology)
  • Artemisinins (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Falciparum (drug therapy, epidemiology, transmission)
  • Models, Biological
  • Uncertainty

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: