Efficacy, safety and acceptability of halofantrine in the treatment of acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria in African children (Gabon).

Halofantrine chlorhydrate 2 per cent suspension was given to 50 children (mean age 6.2 years in a dose of 8 mg/kg three times a day as a single day treatment. The children were born and lived in Gabon, where malaria transmission is continuous. They all had acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The children were kept in hospital for 5 days, and regularly followed over a 15-day period. The 50 children were cured and efficacy was evaluated as good in 44 cases, and excellent in six cases, as judged by improvement in their clinical signs and parasitaemia. Two criterias were considered in the evaluation of efficacy: clearance of parasitaemia (mean day 4), fever clearance (mean hour 24). There were two cases of persistences of parasites at day 15 with a very low parasitaemia rate. Tolerance to halofantrine was good from a clinical and biological point of view. Acceptability was excellent in all cases. Halofantrine 2 per cent suspension is a good alternative in the treatment of acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria in children, especially with the present situation of multidrug-resistant strains in Central Africa.