SummaryBackgroundArtemether–lumefantrine and artesunate–amodiaquine are used as first-line artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in west Africa. Pyronaridine–artesunate and dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine are potentially useful for diversification of ACTs in this region, but further safety and efficacy data are required on malaria retreatment.MethodsWe did a randomised, multicentre, open-label, longitudinal, controlled phase 3b/4 clinical trial at seven tertiary centres in Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali. Eligible participants for first malaria episode and all retreatment episodes were adults and children aged 6 months and older with microscopically confirmed Plasmodium spp malaria (>0 to <200 000 parasites per μL of blood) and fever or history of fever in the previous 24 h. Individuals with severe or complicated malaria, an alanine aminotransferase concentration of more than twice the upper limit of normal, or a QTc greater than 450 ms were excluded. Using a randomisation list for each site, masked using sealed envelopes, participants were assigned to either pyronaridine–artesunate or dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine versus either artesunate–amodiaquine or artemether–lumefantrine. Block sizes were two or four if two treatments were allocated, and three or six if three treatments were allocated. Microscopists doing the parasitological assessments were masked to treatment allocation. All treatments were once-daily or twice-daily tablets or granules given orally and dosed by bodyweight over 3 days at the study centre. Patients were followed up as outpatients up to day 42, receiving clinical assessments on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42. Two primary outcomes were compared for non-inferiority: the 2-year incidence rate of all microscopically confirmed, complicated and uncomplicated malaria episodes in patients in the intention-to-treat population (ITT; non-inferiority margin 20%); and adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) in uncomplicated malaria across all episodes (unadjusted and PCR-adjusted for Plasmodium falciparum and unadjusted for other Plasmodium spp) in the per-protocol population on days 28 and 42 (non-inferiority margin 5%). Safety was assessed in all participants who received one dose of study drug. This study is registered at the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR201105000286876).FindingsBetween Oct 24, 2011, and Feb 1, 2016, we assigned 4710 eligible participants to the different treatment strategies: 1342 to pyronaridine–artesunate, 967 to artemether–lumefantrine, 1061 to artesunate–amodiaquine, and 1340 to dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine. The 2-year malaria incidence rate in the ITT population was non-inferior for pyronaridine–artesunate versus artemether–lumefantrine (1·77, 95% CI 1·63–1·93 vs 1·87, 1·72–2·03; rate ratio [RR] 1·05, 95% CI 0·94–1·17); and versus artesunate–amodiaquine (1·39, 95% CI 1·22–1·59 vs 1·35, 1·18–1·54; RR 0·97, 0·87–1·07). Similarly, this endpoint was non-inferior for dihydroartemisinin–piperaquine versus artemether–lumefantrine (1·16...
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A highly effective malaria vaccine remains elusive despite decades of research. Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite vaccine (PfSPZ Vaccine), a metabolically active, nonreplicating, whole parasite vaccine demonstrated safety and vaccine efficacy (VE) against endemic P. falciparum for 6 months in Malian adults receiving a five-dose regimen. Safety, immunogenicity, and VE of a three-dose regimen were assessed in adults in Balonghin, Burkina Faso in a two-component study: an open-label dose escalation trial with 32 participants followed by a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (RCT) with 80 participants randomized to receive three doses of 2.7 × 10 6 PfSPZ ( N = 39) or normal saline ( N = 41) just before malaria season. To clear parasitemia, artesunate monotherapy was administered before first and last vaccinations. Thick blood smear microscopy was performed on samples collected during illness and every 4 weeks for 72 weeks after last vaccinations, including two 6-month malaria transmission seasons. Safety outcomes were assessed in all 80 participants who received at least one dose and VE for 79 participants who received three vaccinations. Myalgia was the only symptom that differed between groups. VE (1 − risk ratio; primary VE endpoint) was 38% at 6 months ( P = 0.017) and 15% at 18 months (0.078). VE (1 − hazard ratio) was 48% and 46% at 6 and 18 months ( P = 0.061 and 0.018). Two weeks after the last dose, antibodies to P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein and PfSPZ were higher in protected versus unprotected vaccinees. A three-dose regimen of PfSPZ Vaccine demonstrated safety and efficacy against malaria infection in malaria-experienced adults.
During the season of high malaria transmission, most children are infected by Plasmodium, which targets red blood cells (RBCs), affecting haematological parameters. To describe these variations, we examined the haematological profiles of two groups of children living in a malaria-endemic area. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at the peak of the malaria transmission season in a rural area of Burkina Faso. After informed consent and clinical examination, blood samples were obtained from the participants for malaria diagnosis and a full blood count. Of the 414 children included in the analysis, 192 were not infected with Plasmodium, whereas 222 were asymptomatic carriers of Plasmodium infection. The mean age of the infected children was 41.8 months (range of 26.4-57.2) compared to 38.8 months (range of 22.4-55.2) for the control group (p = 0.06). The asymptomatic infected children tended to have a significantly lower mean haemoglobin level (10.8 g/dL vs. 10.4 g/dL; p < 0.001), mean lymphocyte count (4592/µL vs. 5141/µL; p = 0.004), mean platelet count (266 x 103/µL vs. 385 x 103/µL; p < 0.001) and mean RBC count (4.388 x 106/µL vs. 4.158 x 106/µL; p < 0.001) and a higher mean monocyte count (1403/µL vs. 1192/µL; p < 0.001) compared to the control group. Special attention should be applied when interpreting haematological parameters and evaluating immune responses in asymptomatic infected children living in malaria-endemic areas and enrolled in vaccine trials.
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