Active clinical trials for "Malaria, Falciparum"

The purpose of this study is to evaluate three dose levels of a combination tablet and a fixed dose granule formulation of pyronaridine and artesunate (PA) for the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in children.

This study will evaluate the safety of two experimental malaria vaccines in healthy volunteers and examine their immune response to them. Safety will be assessed by comparing vaccine side effects in groups of volunteers who receive increasing doses of the same vaccine (dose-escalating study). Immune response will be evaluated by comparing the levels of antibody production with each dose. (Antibodies are infection-fighting proteins produced by the immune system.) The two vaccines in this study contain different types of a malaria protein called MSP1: one type is MSP142FVO and the other is MSP1423D7. Malaria parasites are spread from person to person by mosquitoes. There are four types of malaria parasites. The vaccine tested in this study is designed to work against Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for most deaths in children due to malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. The vaccine stimulates the body to produce antibodies that prevent P. falciparum from entering the person's red blood cells. Healthy normal volunteers between 18 and 50 years of age may be eligible for this 12-month study, conducted at Quintiles Phase 1 Services in Lenexa, Kansas. Candidates are screened with a medical history, physical examination, and blood and urine tests. Participants receive three doses of the vaccine-on the first day of the study (day 0), at 1 month (day 28), and at 6 months (day 180) -through injection into an arm muscle. The first group of subjects receives 5 micrograms of vaccine, the second group receives 20 micrograms, and the third group receives 80 micrograms. All participants are observed in the clinic for 30 minutes after each immunization for immediate reactions to the vaccine and keep a record of their temperature and of any reactions and side effects they experience for 6 days after the vaccination. At various intervals throughout the study, participants undergo a brief physical examination and blood tests. Women of childbearing potential have a urine pregnancy test on the day of each injection.

Treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Africa is increasingly difficult. Resistance to cheap efficient antimalarial drugs poses an increasing threat. The rapid emergence of resistance to sulfadoxine - pyrimethamine, already seen in East Africa is growing and is likely to have an striking impact on mortality in many other African regions where no obvious alternatives are available. WHO recommends the use of drug combinations containing artemisinin compounds, i.e., artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT). Previous clinical trials have shown that the combination of artesunate with mefloquine is highly effective and well tolerated in the treatment of multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria, retaining the benefit of rapidity of action while augmenting cure rates, and apparently slowing the development of mefloquine resistance. Compliance with sequential combination regimen of antimalarial drugs is notoriously poor. Therefore, in order to limit the development of resistance to both drugs and ameliorate patients' compliance to antimalarial treatments, an optimal simultaneous combination regimen of artesunate and mefloquine in a practical single blister pack has been developed by Mepha Ltd. and successfully tested. The currently available

Children participating in a study evaluating the efficacy of chloroquine and amodiaquine for the treatment of malaria will, if getting malaria during follow-up, be re-treated with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) in accordance with the recommendations of the National Malaria Programme. To compare the actual efficacy of SP with that in 1995 - 1996 we, the investigators of the Bandim Health Project, will visit these children once a week for 5 weeks. A finger prick blood sample will be collected for a malaria test. Children with malaria during follow-up will be treated according to the guidelines of the Bandim Health Centre.

The primary objective is to confirm the hypothesis that azithromycin plus chloroquine is non-inferior to atovaquone-proguanil for the treatment of symptomatic, uncomplicated malaria due to P. falciparum.

The purpose of this study was to provide stronger evidence for extended-dose chloroquine treatment of falciparum-positive Afghan refugees in Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan or justification for discontinuation of the policy.

The primary objective is to confirm the hypothesis that azithromycin used in combination with chloroquine is non-inferior to artemether- Lumefantrine for the treatment of symptomatic, uncomplicated malaria due to P. falciparum in children in African countries.

The treatment of symptomatic, uncomplicated malaria caused by P. falciparum in adults.

Anemia is still a main public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Anemic women have an increased maternal and perinatal mortality and anemic adults have diminished work capacity. In sub-Saharan Africa, the etiology of anemia is multifactoral; the major causes are low dietary bioavailability and chronic parasitic infections such as malaria. These causes are likely to interact because infection and infection-associated inflammation may impair the utilization and absorption of iron. Therefore, the control of parasite infections may be important to improve iron bioavailability from foods. Malaria infections are endemic in northern Benin. To investigate the contribution of asymptomatic malaria (a positive blood smear for malarial parasites but without clinical symptoms of fever, headache or malaise) to anemia, we are planning a human iron absorption study in Benin. We will recruit adults with asymptomatic malaria infection. The iron absorption and utilization of the study subjects will be studied while infected, then they will be treated to clear their infections, and then iron absorption and utilization will be restudied. Iron absorption will be determined by incorporation of labeled iron into erythrocytes, 14 days after the administration of a test meal containing labeled iron (stable isotope technique). Subjects will be men and non-pregnant, non-breastfeeding women with a body weight < 65 kg and between the age of 18 - 30 years. The results of this study will provide important information on the influence of malaria infections on iron absorption and utilization in humans. The study will provide insight into the potential necessity of malaria control to ensure iron bioavailability from foods in developing countries.

The purpose of this study is to determine bioequivalence of amodiaquine suspension ( Pfizer) and the WHO approved reference product Flavoquine® tablet ( Sanofi Aventis).