oa Central African Journal of Medicine - Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum at two farms near Mhangura

Abstract

In vivo responses of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine were studied in a population at two farms near Mhangura, Zimbabwe. Parasitaemia did not clear for nine days in 17 (40,5%) out of 42 patients, and 5 (11,9%) showed parasite clearance but recrudesced following administration of a standard therapeutic regimen of chloroquine (25 mg base/kg body weight). Twenty (47,6%) were sensitive to chloroquine. In vitro tests were performed on blood from 19 selected patients. Five grew schizonts at chloroquine concentrations > 1,0 nmol. A correlation of the in vivo and in vitro results indicated the presence of chloroquine resistant P. falciparum in the area studied. Fansidar (Roche) was used as alternative treatment and parasitaemia cleared.