Active clinical trials for "Malaria"

Case management is one of the key strategies for malaria control in most endemic countries. Plasmodium falciparum malaria is becoming resistant to commonly used and cheap antimalarial drugs such as chloroquine, amodiaquine, and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP). Thus the safety and efficacy of new anti-malarial drugs need to be tested in sites with well-characterised malariometric indices in order to make appropriate treatment policies. Artemisinin-based combination chemotherapies have been documented to consistently produce faster relief of clinical symptoms and parasite clearance in uncomplicated falciparum malaria than any other currently used antimalarial drugs. So far, artesunate-amodiaquine (AS-AQ) and artemether-lumefantrine (AR-LM) are the only two registered fixed-dose artemisinin combination chemotherapies produced at industrial scale, with good manufacturing practices and already used in Africa. Several African countries, including Ghana, are therefore introducing either AS-AQ or AR-LM as first-line antimalarials or evaluating the case for such a change. Clearly, a direct comparison of both the safety and efficacy profiles of the two combinations under different epidemiological conditions is urgently needed to guide informed decisions on the most appropriate antimalarial first-line treatment regimen. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of artesunate-amodiaquine combination therapy, artemether-lumefantrine, and artesunate-lapdap in an open-labelled, randomised, non-inferiority drug trial. The study results will inform future decisions on first- and second-line treatments for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria with respect to efficacy and safety in Ghana.

This is an ongoing monitoring activity of efficacy of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), which is the current national treatment of choice for uncomplicated malaria in Tanzania, and a combination of SP and artesunate among children < 5 years in 3 sites in rural Tanzania. Protocol was amended in 2004 to (1) include lumefantrine+artemether, the newly identified first-line treatment for malaria to be introduced into Tanzania in 2006; (2) on a limited basis, include adult patients; (3) extend follow-up to 28 days; (4) investigate whether treated bednets would reduce confounding by reinfection

Malaria in pregnancy is potentially fatal to both the mother and the foetus particularly in the primigravidae. Implementation of appropriate control and preventive measures is challenged by the fact that malaria infection in pregnancy is often asymptomatic and parasitized red blood cells sequestrated in the placental microcirculation may not be detectable in the peripheral blood. In addition, the widespread prevalence of parasites resistant to chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) and, the safety concerns about newer antimalarials, poverty and inadequate supply have made antimalarial treatment options available to pregnant women very limited. These have necessitated an urgent search for alternative safe and efficacious treatment options for pregnant women. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of four antimalarial treatment options in rural Ghana within a programme setting.

Effective control strategies for malaria depend both on preventing disease and on treating those who become infected to prevent significant morbidity and mortality. There are many barriers to preventing access to prompt and effective treatment, some of which are amenable to intervention, others (such as distance to healthcare) less so. This study will concentrate on modifiable financial barriers to care. With the aim of increasing health service utilization and reducing morbidity and mortality among children under five, some governments are currently implementing policies aimed at reducing financial barriers to health care. There is at the same time an on-going debate concerning the relative importance of cost as a barrier to health care. Though theoretically the aim for reducing these barriers should be achieved, its actual impact has not been directly assessed or demonstrated by means of an intervention trial. This study aims to determine by means of a randomized trial the impact of reducing such barriers on morbidity due to severe malaria among children 6 months to five years and on outpatient utilization. An existing pre-payment scheme in the study area will be utilized to improve financial access for half of 2500 households who have not registered for either year I or II. The impact on severe anaemia, mean haemoglobin and anthropometric measurements will be assessed. Health service utilisation rates will be measured in both groups by active and passive surveillance. Patient perceptions and health-seeking behaviour will be compared. The study will contribute to the current debate on the relative importance of cost of care as a barrier to health care and the potential for the removal of this barrier as a strategy for malaria control, and on methods to optimise this.

This study aims to determine the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of targeted delivery of a package of malaria interventions for improving effective coverage and reducing Plasmodium falciparum malaria transmission among malaria high-risk populations in Northern Namibia. Previous research identified cattle herders and agricultural workers as populations at higher risk of infection. The investigators hypothesize that targeted delivery of interventions will lead improve coverage in these groups and lead to a reduction in P. falciparum transmission.

The general objective of this study is to assess the therapeutic efficacy and safety of artesunate + amodiaquine combined with a single low dose of primaquine (0.25 mg/kg) for the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria patients in Zanzibar. The specific objectives are: To determine the clinical and parasitological efficacy of artesunate + amodiaquine and primaquine in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum infection. To differentiate recurrent infections during follow-up, i.e. recrudescence from new infections, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To evaluate the incidence of adverse events, particularly with regards to potential hematological adverse events of primaquine. To determine the polymorphism of molecular markers associated with artesunate + amodiaquine tolerance/resistance. To formulate recommendations, which will enable the Zanzibar Ministry of Health to make informed decisions about whether the current national antimalarial treatment guidelines should be updated or not. To determine efficacy rate of the first line treatment compared to the first efficacy trial thirteen years ago.

This study is designed as a multi-centre randomized, open label trial to compare the safety and efficacy of a high dose primaquine (PQ) treatment in G6PD normal patients with P. falciparum to reduce the risk of subsequent P. vivax episodes to current standard practice of providing only schizontocidal treatment.

Objective: to measure the effectiveness and safety of (artemether-lumefantrine) AL and (dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine) DP in patients (> 6 months) suffering from uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. Patients coming to Bandim Health Center will, if accepting, be randomised to study-arm. Medication will be provided and first dose given. Patients will be followed-up on day 7, 14, 28, and 42 with clinical evaluation, malaria film and filter-paper blood-sample for polumerase chain reaction (PCR) on re-appearing parasites. On day 21 and 35 a telephone-interview will be performed. Primary out-come: adequate clinical and parasitological response rate on day 42. Secondary out-comes: safety, re-infection vs recrudescence, and haemoglobin on day 42.

Open labelled, non randomized study to evaluate the effects of Artemisinin based Combined Therapies(ACTs) on schistosomiasis since Praziquantel (PZQ) which is presently the drug of choice for treating Schistosomiasis (STS), is ineffective on immature stages and there is known parasite resistance. ACTs when combined with PZQ, targeting different stages of the life cycle has shown some effectivity.

Comparing the efficacy of the combination treatment of bitter melon fruit extract (Momordica charantia) with primaquine (MC+PQ) against the combination of dihydroartemisinin + piperaquine + primaquine (DHP+PQ) on patients with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax without complications in Manokwari, West Papua, Indonesia. The research was conducted from January 2019 to April 2019 at Manokwari Regional General Hospital, West Papua. Open label, 2 parallel randomized clinical studies with Plasmodium falciparum malaria patients without complications (Study 1) and patients with Plasmodium vivax malaria without complications (Study 2). The randomized clinical trial divided in 2 treatment groups, namely the MC+PQ and DHP+PQ. The Success of the treatment was determined by the combination of blood schizontocidal therapy in radical cure. The overall final assessed results were the average value of parasitological failure, hematological measurements, liver function, kidney function, blood lipid levels, blood glucose levels and adverse events until day 42.