A NATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PREVALENCE OF CHLOROQUINE-RESISTANT PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM IN BURKINA-FASO

Plasmodium falciparum susceptibility to chloroquine was investigated i n 10 areas of Burkina Faso in the rainy seasons in 1990-1991. The 7-da ys in-vivo test was carried out from August to November on children ag ed 2-8 years with monospecific P.falciparum infection (asexual parasit aemia > 800 mul-1 of blood), axillary temperature < 37.5-degrees-C, an d a negative Bergqvist urine test for 4-aminoquinolines. Among 2190 ch ildren screened, 366 were selected. Blood samples were collected on da ys 0, 2, 4 and 7 by finger-prick, and 100 microscopic fields of thick and thin smears were examined for parasite density and species identif ication. Chloroquine was given under supervision at the standard dose of 25 mg kg-1 over three days (days 0, 1 and 2) with an observation pe riod of one hour after treatment. Parasitaemia did not clear in 63 cas es (17.2%) with a 13.4% RII response and 3.8% RIII response. The resul ts do not seem to indicate a decline in the sensitivity of P. falcipar um to chloroquine in Burkina Faso during the past two years.