Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled assessment of chloroquine/primaquine prophylaxis for malaria in nonimmune Colombian soldiers

Clin Infect Dis. 1999 Jul;29(1):199-201. doi: 10.1086/520154.

Abstract

To improve upon the efficacy of primaquine prophylaxis for malaria (94%, Plasmodium falciparum malaria; 85%, Plasmodium vivax malaria), we administered chloroquine (300 mg weekly) in combination with primaquine (30 mg daily) to nonimmune Colombian soldiers during 16 weeks of patrol in a region of endemicity and for a further 1 week in base camp. The occurrence of symptomatic parasitemia was determined during those 17 weeks and during a further 3 weeks in base camp. The protective efficacy for the chloroquine/primaquine treatment group of 100 subjects, compared with that for the placebo treatment group of 51 subjects, was 88% (95% confidence interval [CI], 76-94) against all types of malaria, 89% (95% CI, 61-97) against P. falciparum malaria, and 88% (95% CI, 58-93) against P. vivax malaria. Two chloroquine/primaquine recipients had severe gastrointestinal distress. Comparison of these data with data from a previous study indicates that the addition of chloroquine did not increase the prophylactic efficacy of primaquine.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use*
  • Chloroquine / adverse effects
  • Chloroquine / therapeutic use*
  • Colombia
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Humans
  • Malaria / prevention & control*
  • Malaria, Falciparum / prevention & control
  • Malaria, Vivax / prevention & control
  • Military Personnel*
  • Primaquine / adverse effects
  • Primaquine / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Chloroquine
  • Primaquine