[Evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of amodiaquine versus chloroquine in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Abie, Côte-d'Ivoire].

The WHO 14-days' test and an in vitro survey were carried out to study the efficacy of amodiaquine versus chloroquine in Abie, a hyperendemic village in the southern forest area of Côte-d'Ivoire. One hundred and nineteen children less than 15 years old suffering from uncomplicated malaria were randomised. Among these, 62 were given amodiaquine treatment and 57 chloroquine treatment. both 4-aminoquinoleines were administered at the same dose of 30 mg/kg spread over three days by 10 mg/kg/day. Before the drug was administered, parasites were taken from some patients of each group and were evaluated in vitro to both drugs. In vivo, the amodiaquine treatment shows 95% of clinical success, 2% of early clinical failures and 3% of late clinical failures. For the chloroquine treatment, the rates are respectively. 79%, 7% and 14%. However, some patients still had a level of parasitaemia for both treatments but were asymptomatic. These parasites were found to be resistant in vitro. The authors recommend that the treatment to be used in Abie must be firstly amodiaquine followed by sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in cases where there is persistent asymptomatic parasitemia.