Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology

Therapeutic efficacy of Artemether Lumefantrine (Coartum) in outpatients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum Malaria at Bonosha Health Center Shashogo Wereda, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia

5^th International Conference on PARASITOLOGY & MICROBIOLOGY

July 12-13, 2018 Paris, France

Mesfin Assefa

Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Bacteriol Parasitol

Abstract:

Statement of the problem: Drug resistance is the most serious problem in accomplishing control of malaria. The spread of P. falciparum resistance to available drugs, the vector's resistance to insecticides and lack of an effective vaccine, composed with a socioeconomic instability in many malaria-endemic regions, had a negative impact on malaria control. Therefore, effective curative chemotherapy considered as the primary approach to malaria control. Methodology: A 28 days in vivo drug efficacy study was conducted at Bonosha health centre from April to September 2016. seventy-nine patients with microscopically confirmed Plasmodium falciparum malaria, aged 6 months and above, were enrolled and treated with coartum for three days. Recurrence of parasitaemia and clinical condition of patients were assessed on day 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, & 28 during the 28 days follow-up period. The levels of haemoglobin in the study participants were determined at baseline and end of the study. Finding: From 87 patients included in the study, 79 patients completed a 28 days follow up study. Eight patients excluded from the study based on the exclusion criteria. Among the recruited study participants, males were higher in proportion compared to females (47 were males and 32 were females). The median age of study participants was 23 (range: 4 to 59). During enrolment, 41 (52%) had a history of fever and 38 (48%) had fever. The duration of illness of the patients before enrolment was 3.05 ±1.41 (mean ± SD) days. In this study, 1(1.3%) patient showed late parasitological failure and the cure rate of Coartem in the study area was 98.7%. The Kaplan-Meier survival estimate showed a 0.013 cumulative incidence of therapeutic failure. The geometric mean of parasite at day 0 was 11,026.6parasites/μl. Significant (P= 0.01) increase was observed in the haemoglobin level between the baseline and day 28. Conclusions: The six dose regimen of Coartum showed therapeutic efficacy of (98.7%) in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum. A 1.3% coartum treatment failure, rapid clearance of fever and asexual parasitaemia, improvement in mean haemoglobin level was detected in the study participants.