LONG-TERM MALARIA CHEMOPROPHYLAXIS WITH MEFLOQUINE IN DUTCH MARINES IN CAMBODIA

Three Dutch marine battalions (n = 2289) serving in Western Cambodia d uring 1992-1993 used mefloquine as weekly malaria chemoprophylaxis. On e battalion started with a loading dose. Full compliance with prophyla xis was reported by 86.3%, and possible mefloquine-related adverse eve nts were reported by 30.2%, Sixty-four periods of malaria were diagnos ed in 59 marines, During deployment, 31 Plasmodium falciparum and no P lasmodium vivax infections occurred, After return, there were 11 cases of falciparum malaria and 22 of vivax malaria, 16-72 days and 30-540 days, respectively, after stopping prophylaxis. Mefloquine-resistant p arasites were isolated from 4 Dutch and 4 Khmer patients. Long-term me floquine prophylaxis was well tolerated but not totally effective.