Gametocytaemia after drug treatment of asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is followed by a sharp rise in the prevalence and density of gametocytes. We did a randomized trial to determine the effect of treatment of asymptomatic infections with SP or SP plus one dose of artesunate (SP+AS) on gametocyte carriage.

Design

The study was a three-arm open-label randomized trial. We randomized asymptomatic carriers of P. falciparum to receive antimalarial treatment or placebo, and recorded the prevalence and density of gametocytes over the next 2 mo.

Setting

The trial was conducted during the dry (low malaria transmission) season in four rural villages in Gambia.

Participants

Participants were adults and children aged over 6 mo with asexual P. falciparum

SUBMITTER: Dunyo S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1851719 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature