Malaria intermittent preventive treatment in infants, chemoprophylaxis, and childhood vaccinations

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Jennifer B Rosen1, Joel G Breman

  • 1Division of International Epidemiology and Population Studies, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. jennifer.rosen@uhmc.sunysb.edu

Lancet (London, England)
|April 28, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Intermittent preventive treatment with amodiaquine (IPTi) in infants reduced malaria fevers. This malaria control strategy may improve vaccine responses in children, warranting further investigation.

Area of Science:

  • Global Health
  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Malaria causes millions of deaths annually, primarily in young children in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Acute malaria is linked to diminished immune responses to essential childhood vaccines.
  • Antimalarial drugs, including 4-aminoquinolones, may potentially suppress vaccine immunity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of amodiaquine intermittent preventive treatment (IPTi) on malaria incidence in infants.
  • To assess the safety and efficacy of IPTi when co-administered with routine infant vaccinations.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 291 infants aged 12-16 weeks in Tanzania.
  • Infants received their third dose of combined diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis and poliomyelitis vaccines alongside IPTi or placebo.
  • Malaria fevers were monitored over a 60-day period.

Main Results:

  • Infants receiving amodiaquine IPTi experienced significantly fewer malaria fevers compared to the placebo group.
  • The study demonstrated a reduction in malaria burden in infants receiving IPTi.

Conclusions:

  • Co-administration of IPTi with routine infant immunizations is a viable strategy for malaria control.
  • Further research is warranted due to the increasing overlap of malaria control and vaccination efforts.
  • Increased travel to malaria-endemic regions necessitates understanding concurrent vaccination and chemoprophylaxis effects.
Abstract

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