Souares Aurélia auteur aut IRD Lalou Richard auteur aut IRD Sene I. auteur aut IRD Sow D. auteur aut IRD Le Hesran Jean-Yves auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access Increased Plasmodium falciparum resistance to chloroquine has prompted national malaria programs to develop new policies in several African countries. Less than a year after the introduction of amodiaquine/sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (AQ/SP) as first-line treatment in Senegal, we examined adherence rates to therapy and its efficacy among children. The study was conducted in five dispensaries in rural Senegal. Children aged 2-10 years with a presumptive diagnosis of malaria were prescribed AQ/SP. Thick blood film analyses were carried out on days 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28. Blood and urine samples were collected on day 3 for drug Level measurements. The principal caregivers were questioned on treatment adherence. Among the 289 recruited children, 144 had a parasitemia >2500/mu l. The results demonstrated markedly good efficacy for the treatment, as no detectable parasitemia was observed on day 28 for 97.9% of the children. However, we noticed that 35.3% of children did not comply with the recommended doses and 62.3% did not exactly adhere to the drug schedule. Despite the good efficacy of the drugs, adherence to the therapeutic scheme was poor. Strategies to promote patient adherence would improve drug performance and thus might help to prevent the rapid emergence of drug resistance. specialized Malaria Drug combination therapy Adherence Treatment outcome Child Senegal 052 102 8 751-758 2008 0035-9203 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010042725 10.1016/j.trstmh.2008.05.016 0035-9203 [F B010042725] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010042725 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2008/08/010042725.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2008-09-19 2017-08-23 fdi:010042725 fre