"Prophylactic activity of atovaquone against Plasmodium falciparum in h" by Theresa A. Shapiro, Channa D. Ranasinha et al.
 

Prophylactic activity of atovaquone against Plasmodium falciparum in humans

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-1-1999

Journal

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Volume

60

Issue

5

DOI

10.4269/ajtmh.1999.60.831

Abstract

The prophylactic antimalarial activity of atovaquone was determined in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of healthy volunteers who were challenged by the bite of Plasmodium falciparum-infected Anopheles stephensi. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: six received seven dally doses of 750 mg of atovaquone, starting the day before challenge; six received a single dose of 250 mg of atovaquone the day before challenge; and four received placebo. Polymerase chain reaction-and culture- confirmed parasitemia developed in all four placebo recipients, but in none of the drag recipients, indicating that either of the atovaquone regimens provides effective prophylaxis (P = 0.005). However, in low-dose recipients, the drug levels by day 6.5 were profoundly subtherapeutic, indicating that parasites were eliminated prior to the establishment of erythrocytic infection. Atovaquone thus protects non-immune subjects against mosquito- transmitted falciparum malaria, and has causal prophylactic activity.

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