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Improved laboratory diagnosis is critical to reduce the burden of malaria in pregnancy. Peripheral blood smears appear less sensitive than Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2–based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for placental malaria infections in studies conducted at delivery. In this study, 81 women in Uganda in the second or third trimester of pregnancy were followed-up until delivery. At each visit, peripheral blood was tested by blood smear, RDT, and nested species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sensitivity and specificity of the tests was calculated with PCR, which detected 22 infections of P. falciparum, as the gold standard. The sensitivity and specificity of blood smears were 36.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 18.0–59.2%) and 99.6% (95% CI = 97.7–100%), respectively. The corresponding values for RDT were 31.8% (95% CI = 14.7–54.9%) and 100% (95% CI = 98.3–100%). The RDTs could replace blood smears for diagnosis of malaria in pregnancy by virtue of their relative ease of use. Field-based sensitive tests for malaria in pregnancy are urgently needed.

Sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP) is still used for malaria control in sub-Saharan Africa; however, widespread resistance is amajor concern. This study aimed to determine the dispersal and origin of sulfadoxine resistance lineages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo compared with East African Plasmodium falciparum dihydropteroate synthetase (Pfdhps) haplotypes. The analysis involved 264 isolates collected from patients with uncomplicated malaria from Tanzania, Uganda and DR Congo. Isolates were genotyped for Pfdhps mutations at codons 436, 437, 540, 581 and 613. Three microsatellite loci (0.8, 4.3 and 7.7 kb) flanking the Pfdhps gene were assayed. Evolutionary analysis revealed a shared origin of Pfdhps haplotypes in East Africa, with a distinct population clustering in DR Congo. Furthermore, in Tanzania there was an independent distinct origin of Pfdhps S (GE) under bar GA resistant haplotype. In Uganda and Tanzania, gene flow patterns contribute to the dispersal and shared origin of parasites carrying double-and triple-mutant Pfdhps haplotypes associated with poor outcomes of intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy using SP (IPTp-SP). However, the origins of the Pfdhps haplotypes in DR Congo and Eastern Africa sites are different. The genetic structure demonstrated a divergent and distinct population cluster predominated by single-mutant Pfdhps haplotypes at the DR Congo site. This reflects the limited dispersal of double-and triple-mutant Pfdhps haplotypes in DR Congo. This study highlights the current genetic structure and dispersal of high-grade Pfdhps resistant haplotypes, which is important to guide implementation of SP in malaria chemoprevention strategies in the region. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Background:Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) is increasingly recommended for antimalarial treatment in many endemic countries; however, concerns have been raised over its potential under dosing in young children. We investigated the influence of different dosing schedules on DP's clinical efficacy.Methods and Findings:A systematic search of the literature was conducted to identify all studies published between 1960 and February 2013, in which patients were enrolled and treated with DP. Principal investigators were approached and invited to share individual patient data with the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network (WWARN). Data were pooled using a standardised methodology. Univariable and multivariable risk factors for parasite recrudescence were identified using a Cox's regression model with shared frailty across the study sites. Twenty-four published and two unpublished studies (n = 7,072 patients) were included in the analysis. After correcting for reinfection by parasite genotyping, Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were 97.7% (95% CI 97.3%-98.1%) at day 42 and 97.2% (95% CI 96.7%-97.7%) at day 63. Overall 28.6% (979/3,429) of children aged 1 to 5 years received a total dose of piperaquine below 48 mg/kg (the lower limit recommended by WHO); this risk was 2.3-2.9-fold greater compared to that in the other age groups and was associated with reduced efficacy at day 63 (94.4% [95% CI 92.6%-96.2%], p

BACKGROUND: Malaria in pregnancy is associated with maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. In 2006, WHO recommended use of artemisinin-based combination treatments during the second or third trimesters, but data on efficacy and safety in Africa were scarce. We aimed to assess whether artemether-lumefantrine was at least as efficacious as oral quinine for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy in Mbarara, Uganda. METHODS: We did an open-label, randomised, non-inferiority trial between October, 2006, and May, 2009, at the antenatal clinics of the Mbarara University of Science and Technology Hospital in Uganda. Pregnant women were randomly assigned (1:1) by computer generated sequence to receive either quinine hydrochloride or artemether-lumefantrine, and were followed up weekly until delivery. Our primary endpoint was cure rate at day 42, confirmed by PCR. The non-inferiority margin was a difference in cure rate of 5%. Analysis of efficacy was for all randomised patients without study deviations that could have affected the efficacy outcome. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00495508. FINDINGS: 304 women were randomly assigned, 152 to each treatment group. By day 42, 16 patients were lost to follow-up and 25 were excluded from the analysis. At day 42, 137 (99.3%) of 138 patients taking artemether-lumefantrine and 122 (97.6%) of 125 taking quinine were cured-difference 1.7% (lower limit of 95% CI -0.9). There were 290 adverse events in the quinine group and 141 in the artemether-lumefantrine group. INTERPRETATION: Artemisinin derivatives are not inferior to oral quinine for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in pregnancy and might be preferable on the basis of safety and efficacy. FUNDING: Médecins Sans Frontières and the European Commission.

Background Artesunate-amodiaquine (AS-AQ) is one of the most widely used artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) to treat uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Africa. We investigated the impact of different dosing strategies on the efficacy of this combination for the treatment of falciparum malaria. Methods Individual patient data from AS-AQ clinical trials were pooled using the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network (WWARN) standardised methodology. Risk factors for treatment failure were identified using a Cox regression model with shared frailty across study sites. Results Forty-three studies representing 9,106 treatments from 1999-2012 were included in the analysis; 4,138 (45.4%) treatments were with a fixed dose combination with an AQ target dose of 30 mg/kg (FDC), 1,293 (14.2%) with a non-fixed dose combination with an AQ target dose of 25 mg/kg (loose NFDC-25), 2,418 (26.6%) with a non-fixed dose combination with an AQ target dose of 30 mg/kg (loose NFDC-30), and the remaining 1,257 (13.8%) with a co-blistered non-fixed dose combination with an AQ target dose of 30 mg/kg (co-blistered NFDC). The median dose of AQ administered was 32.1 mg/kg [IQR: 25.9-38.2], the highest dose being administered to patients treated with co-blistered NFDC (median = 35.3 mg/kg [IQR: 30.6-43.7]) and the lowest to those treated with loose NFDC-25 (median = 25.0 mg/kg [IQR: 22.7-25.0]). Patients treated with FDC received a median dose of 32.4 mg/kg [IQR: 27-39.0]. After adjusting for reinfections, the corrected antimalarial efficacy on day 28 after treatment was similar for co-blistered NFDC (97.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 97.0-98.8%]) and FDC (98.1% [95% CI: 97.6%-98.5%]; P = 0.799), but significantly lower for the loose NFDC-25 (93.4% [95% CI: 91.9%-94.9%]), and loose NFDC-30 (95.0% [95% CI: 94.1%-95.9%]) (P

Background: Southwestern Uganda has high malaria heterogeneity despite moderate vector control and other interventions. Moreover, the early biting transmission and increased resistance to insecticides might compromise strategies relying on vector control. Consequently, monitoring of vector behaviour and insecticide efficacy is needed to assess the effectiveness of strategies aiming at malaria control. This eventually led to an entomological survey in two villages with high malaria prevalence in this region. Methods: During rainy, 2011 and dry season 2012, mosquitoes were collected in Engari and Kigorogoro, Kazo subcounty, using human landing collection, morning indoor resting collection, pyrethrum spray collection and larval collection. Circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites in female Anopheles mosquitoes was detected using ELISA assay. Bioassays to monitor Anopheles resistance to insecticides were performed. Results: Of the 1,021 female Anopheles species captured, 62% (632) were Anopheles funestus and 36% (371) were Anopheles gambiae s.l. The most common species were Anopheles gambiae s.l. in Engari (75%) and A. funestus in Kigorogoro (83%). Overall, P. falciparum prevalence was 2.9% by ELISA. The daily entomological inoculation rates were estimated at 0.17 and 0.58 infected bites/person/night during rainy and dry season respectively in Engari, and 0.81 infected bites/person/night in Kigorogoro during dry season. In both areas and seasons, an unusually early evening biting peak was observed between 6 - 8 p.m. In Engari, insecticide bioassays showed 85%, 34% and 12% resistance to DDT during the rainy season, dry season and to deltamethrin during the dry season, respectively. In Kigorogoro, 13% resistance to DDT and to deltamethrin was recorded. There was no resistance observed to bendiocarb and pirimiphos methyl. Conclusions: The heterogeneity of mosquito distribution, entomological indicators and resistance to insecticides in villages with high malaria prevalence highlight the need for a long-term vector control programme and monitoring of insecticide resistance in Uganda. The early evening biting habits of Anopheles combined with resistance to DDT and deltamethrin observed in this study suggest that use of impregnated bed nets alone is insufficient as a malaria control strategy, urging the need for additional interventions in this area of high transmission.

Background The emergence of resistance against artemisinin combination treatment (ACTs) is a major concern for malaria control. ACTs are recommended as rescue treatment; however, there is limited evidence on the impact of treatment and re-treatment with ACTs on selection for drug-resistant parasites. We aimed to investigate the impact of treatment and re-treatment using artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ) and artemether-lumefantrine (AL) on the selection of Plasmodium falciparum multidrug resistance-1 (Pfmdr1) alleles. Methods A total of 776 isolates were collected in 28-days follow-up involving children aged 0–59 months in a clinical trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Nested PCR and RPFL was used to detect Pfmdr1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms at codons N86Y, F184Y, and D1246Y. The analysis compared Pfmdr 1 alleles in the pre-randomisation (pre-RCT), randomisation (RCT) and post-randomisation (post-RCT) phases of the trial. Results The pre-treatment prevalence of Pfmdr 1 (N86 and D1246Y) in the RCT phase varied significantly between the sites. Pfmdr 1 NYD haplotype was significantly higher in Uganda while haplotype YYD was higher in the Democratic Republic of Congo, (p Pfmdr 1 N86, D1246 and Y184 in either AL or ASAQ arm in the pre-RCT, RCT and post-RCT phases. The relative risk (RR) of treatment failure (TF) in patients harbouring Pfmdr 1 N86 did not significantly increase in patients treated with AL (RR=0.2, 95% CI: 0.11–1.05, p=0.061) or ASAQ (RR=1.03, 95% CI: 0.47–2.26, p=0.94). Conclusions Our findings suggest the limited impact of treatment and re-treatment with AL or ASAQ on selection for Pfmdr1 variants and haplotypes associated with resistance to partner drugs. These findings support the recent WHO recommendation to use ACTs as alternative rescue therapy for P. falciparum malaria. However, enhanced resistance monitoring is warranted to maintain the drug9s effectiveness in endemic settings.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacovigilance programmes monitor and help ensuring the safe use of medicines which is critical to the success of public health programmes. The commonest method used for discovering previously unknown safety risks is spontaneous notifications. In this study we examine the use of data mining algorithms to identify signals from adverse events reported in a phase IIIb/IV clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of several Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) for treatment of uncomplicated malaria in African children. METHODS: We used paediatric safety data from a multi-site, multi-country clinical study conducted in seven African countries (Burkina Faso, Gabon, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and Mozambique). Each site compared three out of four ACTs, namely amodiaquine-artesunate (ASAQ), dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHAPQ), artemether-lumefantrine (AL) or chlorproguanil/dapsone and artesunate (CD+A). We examine two pharmacovigilance signal detection methods, namely proportional reporting ratio and Bayesian Confidence Propagation Neural Network on the clinical safety dataset. RESULTS: Among the 4,116 children (6-59 months old) enrolled and followed up for 28 days post treatment, a total of 6,238 adverse events were reported resulting into 346 drug-event combinations. Nine signals were generated both by proportional reporting ratio and Bayesian Confidence Propagation Neural Network. A review of the manufacturer package leaflets, an online Multi-Drug Symptom/Interaction Checker (DoubleCheckMD) and further by therapeutic area experts reduced the number of signals to five. The ranking of some drug-adverse reaction pairs on the basis of their signal index differed between the two methods. CONCLUSIONS: Our two data mining methods were equally able to generate suspected signals using the pooled safety data from a phase IIIb/IV clinical trial. This analysis demonstrated the possibility of utilising clinical studies safety data for key pharmacovigilance activities like signal detection and evaluation. This approach can be applied to complement the spontaneous reporting systems which are limited by under reporting.

BACKGROUND: Artemisinin-based combination therapy is currently recommended by the World Health Organization as first-line treatment of uncomplicated malaria. Recommendations were adapted in 2010 regarding rescue treatment in case of treatment failure. Instead of quinine monotherapy, it should be combined with an antibiotic with antimalarial properties; alternatively, another artemisinin-based combination therapy may be used. However, for informing these policy changes, no clear evidence is yet available. The need to provide the policy makers with hard data on the appropriate rescue therapy is obvious. We hypothesize that the efficacy of the same artemisinin-based combination therapy used as rescue treatment is as efficacious as quinine + clindamycin or an alternative artemisinin-based combination therapy, without the risk of selecting drug resistant strains. DESIGN: We embed a randomized, open label, three-arm clinical trial in a longitudinal cohort design following up children with uncomplicated malaria until they are malaria parasite free for 4 weeks. The study is conducted in both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda and performed in three steps. In the first step, the pre-randomized controlled trial (RCT) phase, children aged 12 to 59 months with uncomplicated malaria are treated with the recommended first-line drug and constitute a cohort that is passively followed up for 42 days. If the patients experience an uncomplicated malaria episode between days 14 and 42 of follow-up, they are randomized either to quinine + clindamycin, or an alternative artemisinin-based combination therapy, or the same first-line artemisinin-based combination therapy to be followed up for 28 additional days. If between days 14 and 28 the patients experience a recurrent parasitemia, they are retreated with the recommended first-line regimen and actively followed up for another 28 additional days (step three; post-RCT phase). The same methodology is followed for each subsequent failure. In any case, all patients without an infection at day 28 are classified as treatment successes and reach a study endpoint. The RCT phase allows the comparison of the safety and efficacy of three rescue treatments. The prolonged follow-up of all children until they are 28 days parasite-free allows us to assess epidemiological-, host- and parasite-related predictors for repeated malaria infection. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01374581 and PACTR201203000351114.

BACKGROUND: Artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) are currently the preferred option for treating uncomplicated malaria. Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-PQP) is a promising fixed-dose ACT with limited information on its safety and efficacy in African children. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The non-inferiority of DHA-PQP versus artemether-lumefantrine (AL) in children 6-59 months old with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria was tested in five African countries (Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda and Zambia). Patients were randomised (2:1) to receive either DHA-PQP or AL. Non-inferiority was assessed using a margin of -5% for the lower limit of the one-sided 97.5% confidence interval on the treatment difference (DHA-PQP vs. AL) of the day 28 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) corrected cure rate. Efficacy analysis was performed in several populations, and two of them are presented here: intention-to-treat (ITT) and enlarged per-protocol (ePP). 1553 children were randomised, 1039 receiving DHA-PQP and 514 AL. The PCR-corrected day 28 cure rate was 90.4% (ITT) and 94.7% (ePP) in the DHA-PQP group, and 90.0% (ITT) and 95.3% (ePP) in the AL group. The lower limits of the one-sided 97.5% CI of the difference between the two treatments were -2.80% and -2.96%, in the ITT and ePP populations, respectively. In the ITT population, the Kaplan-Meier estimate of the proportion of new infections up to Day 42 was 13.55% (95% CI: 11.35%-15.76%) for DHA-PQP vs 24.00% (95% CI: 20.11%-27.88%) for AL (p

These data contributed to a 2007 WHO recommendation for a fractional dosing strategy in the context of severe vaccine shortages during a meningitis epidemic., BACKGROUND: Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A is the main causative pathogen of meningitis epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa. In recent years, serogroup W135 has also been the cause of epidemics. Mass vaccination campaigns with polysaccharide vaccines are key elements in controlling these epidemics. Facing global vaccine shortage, we explored the use of fractional doses of a licensed A/C/Y/W135 polysaccharide meningococcal vaccine. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a randomized, non-inferiority trial in 750 healthy volunteers 2-19 years old in Mbarara, Uganda, to compare the immune response of the full dose of the vaccine versus fractional doses (1/5 or 1/10). Safety and tolerability data were collected for all subjects during the 4 weeks following the injection. Pre- and post-vaccination sera were analyzed by measuring serum bactericidal activity (SBA) with baby rabbit complement. A responder was defined as a subject with a >/=4-fold increase in SBA against a target strain from each serogroup and SBA titer >/=128. For serogroup W135, 94% and 97% of the vaccinees in the 1/5- and 1/10-dose arms, respectively, were responders, versus 94% in the full-dose arm; for serogroup A, 92% and 88% were responders, respectively, versus 95%. Non-inferiority was demonstrated between the full dose and both fractional doses in SBA seroresponse against serogroups W135 and Y, in total population analysis. Non-inferiority was shown between the full and 1/5 doses for serogroup A in the population non-immune prior to vaccination. Non-inferiority was not shown for any of the fractionate doses for serogroup C. Safety and tolerability data were favourable, as observed in other studies. CONCLUSIONS: While the advent of conjugate A vaccine is anticipated to largely contribute to control serogroup A outbreaks in Africa, the scale-up of its production will not cover the entire "Meningitis Belt" target population for at least the next 3 to 5 years. In view of the current shortage of meningococcal vaccines for Africa, the use of 1/5 fractional doses should be considered as an alternative in mass vaccination campaigns. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00271479.

A study to assess the diagnostic capabilities of three parasite lactate dehydrogenase (pan-pLDH) tests Vistapan Carestart and Parabank was conducted in Uganda. An HRP2 test Paracheck-Pf and a Giemsa-stained blood film were performed with the pLDH tests for outpatients with suspected malaria. In total 460 subjects were recruited: 248 with positive blood films and 212 with negative blood films. Plasmodium falciparum was present in 95% of infections. Sensitivity above 90% was shown by two pLDH tests Carestart (95.6%) and Vistapan (91.9%) and specificity above 90% by Parabank (94.3%) and Carestart (91.5%). Sensitivity decreased with low parasitaemia (x/2 trend P less than 0.001); however all tests achieved sensitivity greater than 90% with parasitaemia greater than or equal to 100/microl. All tests had good inter-reader reliability (k greater than 0.95). Two weeks after diagnosis 4-10% of pLDH tests were still positive compared with 69.7% of the HRP2 tests. All tests had similar ease of use. In conclusion two pLDH tests performed well in diagnosing P. falciparum malaria and all pLDH tests became negative after treatment more quickly than the HRP2. Therefore the rapid test of choice for use with artemisinin-combination therapies in this area would be one of these new pLDH tests. (authors)

International audience; BACKGROUND: Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) is a major public health problem in endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa and has important consequences on birth outcome. Because MiP is a complex phenomenon and malaria epidemiology is rapidly changing, additional evidence is still required to understand how best to control malaria. This study followed a prospective cohort of pregnant women who had access to intensive malaria screening and prompt treatment to identify factors associated with increased risk of MiP and to analyse how various characteristics of MiP affect delivery outcomes. METHODS: Between October 2006 and May 2009, 1,218 pregnant women were enrolled in a prospective cohort. After an initial assessment, they were screened weekly for malaria. At delivery, blood smears were obtained from the mother, placenta, cord and newborn. Multivariate analyses were performed to analyse the association between mothers' characteristics and malaria risk, as well as between MiP and birth outcome, length and weight at birth. This study is a secondary analysis of a trial registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00495508. RESULTS: Overall, 288/1,069 (27%) mothers had 345 peripheral malaria infections. The risk of peripheral malaria was higher in mothers who were younger, infected with HIV, had less education, lived in rural areas or reported no bed net use, whereas the risk of placental infection was associated with more frequent malaria infections and with infection during late pregnancy. The risk of pre-term delivery and of miscarriage was increased in mothers infected with HIV, living in rural areas and with MiP occurring within two weeks of delivery.In adjusted analysis, birth weight but not length was reduced in babies of mothers exposed to MiP (-60 g, 95%CI: -120 to 0 for at least one infection and -150 g, 95%CI: -280 to -20 for >1 infections). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the timing, parasitaemia level and number of peripherally-detected malaria infections, but not the presence of fever, were associated with adverse birth outcomes. Hence, prompt malaria detection and treatment should be offered to pregnant women regardless of symptoms or other preventive measures used during pregnancy, and with increased focus on mothers living in remote areas.

The Four Artemisinin-Based Combinations (4ABC) Study Group reports a randomized, non-inferiority trial comparing the efficacy and safety of four ACTs in children with mild Plasmodium falciparum malaria from seven sub-Saharan African countries., Background Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are the mainstay for the management of uncomplicated malaria cases. However, up-to-date data able to assist sub-Saharan African countries formulating appropriate antimalarial drug policies are scarce. Methods and Findings Between 9 July 2007 and 19 June 2009, a randomized, non-inferiority (10% difference threshold in efficacy at day 28) clinical trial was carried out at 12 sites in seven sub-Saharan African countries. Each site compared three of four ACTs, namely amodiaquine-artesunate (ASAQ), dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHAPQ), artemether-lumefantrine (AL), or chlorproguanil-dapsone-artesunate (CD+A). Overall, 4,116 children 6–59 mo old with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria were treated (1,226 with AL, 1,002 with ASAQ, 413 with CD+A, and 1,475 with DHAPQ), actively followed up until day 28, and then passively followed up for the next 6 mo. At day 28, for the PCR-adjusted efficacy, non-inferiority was established for three pair-wise comparisons: DHAPQ (97.3%) versus AL (95.5%) (odds ratio [OR]: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.37–0.94); DHAPQ (97.6%) versus ASAQ (96.8%) (OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.41–1.34), and ASAQ (97.1%) versus AL (94.4%) (OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.28–0.92). For the PCR-unadjusted efficacy, AL was significantly less efficacious than DHAPQ (72.7% versus 89.5%) (OR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.21–0.34) and ASAQ (66.2% versus 80.4%) (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.30–0.53), while DHAPQ (92.2%) had higher efficacy than ASAQ (80.8%) but non-inferiority could not be excluded (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.26–0.48). CD+A was significantly less efficacious than the other three treatments. Day 63 results were similar to those observed at day 28. Conclusions This large head-to-head comparison of most currently available ACTs in sub-Saharan Africa showed that AL, ASAQ, and DHAPQ had excellent efficacy, up to day 63 post-treatment. The risk of recurrent infections was significantly lower for DHAPQ, followed by ASAQ and then AL, supporting the recent recommendation of considering DHAPQ as a valid option for the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00393679; Pan African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR2009010000911750 Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary, Editors' Summary Background Malaria is a global public-health problem. Half the world's population is at risk of this mosquito-borne parasitic disease, which kills a million people (mainly children living in sub-Saharan Africa) every year. Although several parasites cause malaria, Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for most of these deaths. During the second half of the 20th century, the main treatments for malaria were inexpensive “monotherapies” such as chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. Unfortunately, the malaria parasite quickly developed resistance to many of these monotherapies, and in the 1990 s, there was a widespread upsurge in P. falciparum malaria. To combat this increase, the World Health Organization (WHO) now recommends artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for first-line treatment of P. falciparum malaria in all regions where there is drug-resistant malaria. In ACT, artemisinin derivatives (new, fast-acting antimalarial drugs) are used in combination with another antimalarial drug (a partner drug) to reduce the chances of P. falciparum becoming resistant to either drug. Why Was This Study Done? WHO currently recommends five ACTs—amodiaquine-artesunate (ASAQ), dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHAPQ), artemether-lumefantrine (AL), artesunate-mefloquine, and artesunate-sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine—for the treatment of malaria. Its treatment guidelines state that the choice of ACT in a country or region should be based on the local level of resistance to the non-artemisinin-based partner drug in the combination. However, data on resistance levels to these partner drugs are scarce or unavailable for many sub-Saharan African countries. To help these countries make an informed choice about their national antimalarial treatment policies, in this randomized, non-inferiority trial, the researchers compare the efficacy and safety of four ACTs in African children with uncomplicated (mild) P. falciparum malaria. In a randomized trial, groups of randomly chosen patients with a specific disease are given different treatments and then followed to compare the outcomes of these interventions. A non-inferiority trial investigates whether one treatment is not worse than another treatment. What Did the Researchers Do and Find? Each of twelve sites in seven sub-Saharan African countries compared three ACTs out of ASAQ, DHAPQ, AL, and chlorproguanil-dapsone-artesunate (CD+A). Overall, 4,116 young children with uncomplicated malaria were treated with ACT, actively followed up for 28 days (their parents brought them back to the site for pre-arranged check-ups), and passively followed up for six months (parents brought their children back if they developed any illnesses). At each visit, blood samples were examined for the presence of parasites, and a technique called PCR was used to determine which cases of malaria were new infections and which were recurrences of the original infection. The researchers then calculated the percentage of patients with no infection or with a new infection (the PCR-adjusted adequate clinical and parasitological response [ACPR]) and the percentage of patients with no infection (the PCR-unadjusted ACPR). For the PCR-adjusted efficacy, three pair-wise comparisons (DHAPQ versus AL, DHAPQ versus ASAQ, and ASAQ versus AL) showed non-inferiority at 28 days. That is, for example, similar percentages of patients given DHAPQ or AL (97.3% and 95.5%, respectively) had either no infection or a new infection. CD+A was less efficacious than the other three treatments. For the PCR-unadjusted efficacy, AL was significantly less efficacious than DHAPQ and ASAQ; DHAPQ had a higher efficacy than ASAQ, but non-inferiority could not be excluded. That is, the difference in efficacy of these two drugs might have happened by chance. What Do These Findings Mean? These findings suggest that AL, ASAQ, and DHAPQ are all efficacious for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in children; CD+A was withdrawn partway through the trial because of side effects, but these findings also suggest that it was less efficacious than the other ACTs. Importantly, the PCR-unadjusted results indicate that the risk of children becoming re-infected with malaria parasites soon after treatment was lowest for DHAPQ, followed by ASAQ, and then AL. Because these findings are based on pooled results from seven sub-Saharan African countries, they are likely to be generalizable and thus of use in setting national antimalarial drug policies throughout the region. AL and ASAQ are already included in the antimalarial drug policies of many sub-Saharan African countries, note the researchers, but these findings support the WHO recommendation that DHAPQ should also be considered for the treatment for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. Additional Information Please access these websites via the online version of this summary at http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001119. Information is available from WHO on malaria (in several languages); the 2010 World Malaria Report provides details of the current global malaria situation; the WHO Guidelines for the Treatment of Malaria and the report Assessment and Monitoring of Antimalarial Drug Efficacy for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Malaria are available The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide information on malaria (in English and Spanish), including a selection of personal stories about malaria Information is available from the Roll Back Malaria Partnership on the global control of malaria including fact sheets about ACTs and about malaria in Africa MedlinePlus provides links to additional information on malaria (in English and Spanish)

Background Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) is a major cause of fetal growth restriction and low birth weight in endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding of the impact of MiP on infant growth and infant risk of malaria or morbidity is poorly characterized. The objective of this study was to describe the impact of MIP on subsequent infant growth, malaria and morbidity. Methods Between 2006 and 2009, 82 % (832/1018) of pregnant women with live-born singletons and ultrasound determined gestational age were enrolled in a prospective cohort with active weekly screening and treatment for malaria. Infants were followed monthly for growth and morbidity and received active monthly screening and treatment for malaria during their first year of life. Multivariate analyses were performed to analyse the association between malaria exposure during pregnancy and infants’ growth, malaria infections, diarrhoea episodes and acute respiratory infections. Results Median time of infant follow-up was 12 months and infants born to a mother who had MiP were at increased risk of impaired height and weight gain (−2.71 cm, 95 % CI −4.17 to −1.25 and −0.42 kg, 95 % CI −0.76 to −0.08 at 12 months for >1 MiP compared to no MiP) and of malaria infection (relative risk 10.42, 95 % CI 2.64–41.10 for infants born to mothers with placental malaria). The risks of infant growth restriction and infant malaria infection were maximal when maternal malaria occurred in the 12 weeks prior to delivery. Recurrent MiP was also associated with acute respiratory infection (RR 1.96, 95 % CI 1.25–3.06) and diarrhoea during infancy (RR 1.93, 95 % CI 1.02–3.66). Conclusion This study shows that despite frequent active screening and prompt treatment of MiP, impaired growth and an increased risk of malaria and non-malaria infections can be observed in the infants. Effective preventive measures in pregnancy remain a research priority. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00495508.

Background Malaria is a major public health problem, especially for children. However, recent reports suggest a decline in the malaria burden. The aim of this study was to assess the change in the prevalence of malaria infection among children below five years of age between 2004 and 2010 in a mesoendemic area of Uganda and to analyse the risk factors of malaria infection. Methods Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2004 and in 2010 at the end of the rainy and dry seasons to measure the prevalence of P. falciparum infection among children less than five years of age. Rapid diagnostic tests and blood smears were used to diagnose malaria infection. In 2010, sampling was stratified by urban and rural areas. In each selected household, knowledge of malaria and bed nets, and bed net ownership and use, were assessed. Results In 2004 and 2010, respectively, a total of 527 and 2,320 (999 in the urban area and 1,321 in rural areas) children less than five years old were enrolled. Prevalence of malaria infection declined from 43% (95% CI: 34-52) in 2004, to 23% (95% CI: 17-30) in rural areas in 2010 and 3% (95% CI: 2-5) in the urban area in 2010. From the rainy to dry season in 2010, prevalence decreased from 23% to 10% (95% CI: 6-14) in rural areas (P = 0.001) and remained stable from 3% to 4% (95% CI: 1-7) in the urban area (P = 0.9). The proportion of households reporting ownership and use of at least one bed net increased from 22.9% in 2004 to 64.7% in the urban area and 44.5% in rural areas in 2010 (P < 0.001). In 2010, the risk of malaria infection was consistently associated with child age and household wealth. In rural areas, malaria infection was also associated with geographic factors. Conclusions This study reports a significant drop in the prevalence of malaria infection among children below five years of age, paralleled by an uptake in bed-net use. However, prevalence remains unacceptably high in rural areas and is strongly associated with poverty.