AZITHROMYCIN PROPHYLAXIS AGAINST A CHLOROQUINE-RESISTANT STRAIN OF PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM

Azithromycin has antimalarial activity and favourable pharmacokinetic properties for a prophylactic antimalarial agent. We investigated the ability of azithromycin to prevent malaria in volunteers infected with a chloroquine-resistant strain of Plasmodium falciparum. 4 volunteers received oral azithromycin 500 mg followed by 250 mg daily for 7 furt her days. Subjects were infected on the third day of azithromycin. 3 s ubjects were protected compared with none of 15 controls. The voluntee r not protected by azithromycin had unquantifiable plasma levels of az ithromycin, probably because of poor absorption. Azithromycin could be a promising prophylactic agent for P falciparum malaria.