Efficacy of Chloroquine, Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine, and Mefloquine for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria on the North Coast of Peru

MARQUIÑO, Wilmer [et al.].Efficacy of Chloroquine, Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine, and Mefloquine for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria on the North Coast of Peru. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. [en línea]. 2003, vol. 68 no. 1. p. 120–123. ISSN 0002-9637.As part of an effort to assess antimalarial drug resistance in Peru, we carried out 14-day in vivo efficacy trialsof chloroquine (CQ; 25 mg/kg) and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP; 25 mg/kg of the sulfadoxine component) for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum infectionsat three siteson the northern coast of Peru. Mefloquine (MQ; 15 mg/kg) also was evaluated at one site. The results from all three sites were similar. Of the 53 patients treated with CQ, 58.5% had RII/RIII responses. No RIII failures were observed among the 112 patientswho received SP, but 4.5% and 1.8%, respectively, had RII and RI responses. All 33 patients treated with MQ showed a sensitive response. Early treatment failures were observed in 27.1% of the CQ patientsbut in no patientsreceiving SP or MQ. Late treatment failureswere seen in 59.3% of the CQ patientsand 6.4% of the SP patientsbut in none of those treated with MQ. Based on these findings and because of concern about the potential for development of resistance if SP were used alone, the National Malaria Control Program is planning a change in malaria treatment policy to SP-artesunate combination therapy for thisregion of the country