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.