[Efficacy of the amodiaquine+sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combination and of chloroquine for the treatment of malaria in Córdoba, Colombia, 2006]

[[[ Introduction: ]]] The decrease in the efficacy of antimalarial drugs in the world and in Colombia hampers its control. [[[ Objective: ]]] The in vivo therapeutic efficacy of the amodiaquine+sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combination was evaluated in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria and of chloroquine for P. vivax malaria. [[[ Materials and methods: ]]] From May to November 2006, in vivo efficacy studies of malaria treatments were undertaken in Tierralta, Córdoba, northeastern Colombia. Standard protocols were followed as recommended by the World Health Organization/Panamerican Health Organization, with some modifications. Patients older than two years with single P. falciparum or P. vivax infection, with asexual parasitemia between 500 and 50,000 parasites/microl, were selected according to established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Supervised treatment was administered, and clinical and parasitological follow-up was carried out on days 0 (inclusion), 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28. The outcome was defined as adequate clinical and parasitological response, early therapeutic failure, or late therapeutic failure. [[[ Results: ]]] Of 53 subjects selected, 50 (94.3%; CI 70%-100%) presented adequate clinical and parasitological response to the amodiaquine+sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria. One patient presented early therapeutic failure, and two developed late therapeutic failure. All of the 50 patients (95%CI: 74%-100%) in the invivo efficacy study of chloroquine for vivax malaria presented adequate clinical and parasitological response. [[[ Conclusion: ]]] In Cordoba, the amodiaquine+sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combination and chloroquine show a high efficacy for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum and vivax malaria, respectively.