Efficacy of chloroquine and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine mono- and combined therapy against falciparum malaria in Sudan.

We assessed the efficacy of chloroquine and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine monotherapy in several sentinel sites in northern Sudan and the efficacy of combined therapy in 2 sites. Chloroquine efficacy in children under 5 years was also assessed in 2 sites in southern Sudan. Patients with indications of uncomplicated falciparum malaria and sufficient parasite density were enrolled. The chloroquine failure rates in the northern and southern sites were 43.4% and 80.2% respectively. Treatment failure was significantly higher in children than adults, while there was no significant sex difference. Sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine had an overall failure rate of 4.4%. Combination of the 2 drugs had a failure rate of 14.5% and 5.9% in the 2 sites.