In vivo sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine sentitivity study Tigray Region, Southern Zone, Alamata Town, September--November 2001.

The in vivo therapeutic efficacy of sulfadoxine- pyrimethmanine (SP) was assessed in a clinical setting involving 77 falciparum malaria patients diagnosed at Alamata Sector Laboratory, Southern Tigray in Sept--Nov. 2001. The objective of the study was to ascertain the continued usefulness of SP in the routine treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria. The patients were selected among 370 patients, aged 6 months and above, presenting for evaluation of febrile illnesses. The 1996 World Health Organization protocol for assessment of therapeutic efficacy of anti-malarial drugs was employed to select patients fulfilling enrollment criteria. Adequate Clinical Response (ACR) was detected in 75 patients (97.4%) whereas Late Treatment Failure (LTF) was ascribed to the remaining 2 patients ( 2.6% ) This data indicates that SP must have been effective as a first-line treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Alamata during the survey in 2001. Notwithstanding, the need for continuos surveillance on the therapeutic efficacy of SP as well as the in vitro resistance of P. falciparum is recommended.