Audit of failure rate of Coartem to treat falciparum malaria at single fourteen day follow up

Abstract

Objective: To assess the failure rate of the new first line treatment regime for uncomplicated falciparum malaria in KwaZulu-Natal of Coartem tablets (20mg aftemether and 120mg lumefantrine - Novartis South Africa (PTY Ltd.

Design: A before-after study.

Setting: Ndumo Clinic, Ingwavuma District, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, February 2001.

Study Group: 67 patients presenting to Ndumo clinic with uncomplicated malaria, diagnosed by symptoms and positive immunochromographic test for plasmodium falciparum.

Main outcome measures: All 58 follow-up slides obtained were negative. 8 patients failed to return, and 1 slide washed off. Only 43 smears were positive at day 0 of which 36 had follow-up smears.

Conclusions: No resistance to Coartem was shown at day 4, and Coartem has been shown to be more effective at clearing falciparum malaria parasites than a previous regime of sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine with chlorine.