Therapeutic Efficacy and Safety of Artemether-Lumefantrine (Coartem®) in Uncomplicated P. Falciparum Malaria in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Abstract

Malaria is an important cause of death and illness in children and adults, especially in tropical countries. The emerging resistance to ACTs by p. falciparum malaria threatens the health of the hundreds of millions of people routinely exposed to the risk of infection with this organism. One-arm prospective evaluation of clinical and parasitological responses of directly observed Artemether-Lumefantrine (Coartem®) treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria as per WHO  protocol 2009 was conducted  at Baddessa Health Center in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia from Feb to March, 2015. A total of 88 study participants were enrolled and followed for 42 days and 86 participants were completed follow up. There was 100%% an adequate clinical and parasitological response among participants who completed 42 days of follow-up. Two participants were excluded from study: one participant at day 7 due to self withdrawal and one participant at day 28 due to loss to follow up. However, relatively high proportion of patients (5.7%) still positive on day 3 in this study would indicate possible threat of artemisinin resistance development in the area and regular surveillance should to be continued as WHO recommendation.

Keywords: plasmodium palfarum, artemether-lumefantrine, therapeutic efficacy, safety, Ethiopia.