REDUCING THE ORAL QUININE-QUINIDINE-CINCHONIN (QUINIMAX(R)) TREATMENTOF UNCOMPLICATED MALARIA TO 3 DAYS DOES NOT INCREASE THE RECURRENCE OF ATTACKS AMONG CHILDREN LIVING IN A HIGHLY ENDEMIC AREA OF SENEGAL

A 3 d shortened course of the quinine-quinidine-cinchonin association Quinimax(R) was compared to the usual 7 d regimen for routinely treati ng 462 acute uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria attacks in 72 children under the age of 10 years in Dielmo, a holoendemic village i n Senegal. 25 mg/kg Quinimax(R) salt daily, given in 3 equal doses, im proved clinical status in 99.6% of the patients receiving the course a nd in all of those treated for 7 d. Even if the 3 d course did not sys tematically eliminate parasitaemia, reducing oral Quinimax(R) treatmen t of uncomplicated malaria from 7 to 3 d did not increase the recurren ce of attacks, even among the youngest children. Both the quinine sens itivity of the Senegalese strains of P. falciparum and the partial acq uired immunity of the children were probably responsible for the absen ce of any difference between the courses. Oral Quinimax(R) for 3 d is a possible alternative regimen to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimeth amine for treating uncomplicated malaria in highly endemic areas of Af rica where clinical resistance to these drugs exists.