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Efficacy of Focal Primaquine Mass Administration for Eliminating Plasmodium Vivax Malaria in Northern Myanmar

Not Applicable
Active, not recruiting
Conditions
Mass Drug Administration
Plasmodium Vivax
Malaria
Myanmar
Primaquine
Interventions
Drug: Focal Mass Drug Administration with Primaquine
Registration Number
NCT06392152
Lead Sponsor
Pyae Linn Aung
Brief Summary

Plasmodium vivax has become the predominant species in the Greater Mekong Subregion and is a major challenge for regional malaria elimination. Mass primaquine administration has played a decisive role in malaria elimination in many temperate zone countries, but its efficacy in tropical areas remains to be evaluated. This study aims to assess the efficacy of targeted primaquine mass treatment (TPT) for eliminating P. vivax malaria in northern Myanmar.

Detailed Description

This study employed a cluster-randomized crossover design in which two groups of villages received TPT at different times. In August-September 2019, Group 1 received TPT (0.25 mg/kg/day primaquine base for 14 days), while Group 2 was the control. In June-July 2020, Group 2 received TPT, while Group 1 served as the control. To evaluate the effectiveness of TPT for preventing relapses of vivax malaria, two indicators were utilized: infection prevalence at 3-month intervals estimated through cross-sectional surveys and monthly malaria incidence by passive case detection. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-squared test, cumulative hazard function, and mixed model logistic regression.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
1208
Inclusion Criteria
  • Residents in study villages
  • Male/ female
  • Consent to participate
Exclusion Criteria
  • Low Hb%
  • G6PD deficiency
  • pregnant women,
  • breastfeeding mothers and
  • children under 7 years

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
TPT GroupFocal Mass Drug Administration with PrimaquineBased on the WHO malaria treatment guidelines, a standard PQ regimen of 0.25 mg PQ base/kg body weight daily for 14 days was administered to eligible individuals through directly observed treatment (DOT) to ensure drug intake and monitor potential adverse effects during August-September 2019. The safety of each participant was monitored by follow-up blood testing using Hemocue's hemoglobin photometers to track changes in hemoglobin levels.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Infection prevalence at 3-month intervals estimated through cross-sectional surveysupto 24 months

The primary outcome of the study was the reduction in the prevalence of infection in the study population in 3 and 6 months after the PQ MDA. Malaria prevalence was determined through cross-sectional surveys (CSSs) of the village populations one week before MDA to assess baseline infection prevalence and three and six months after the MDA. For each CSS, finger-prick blood was obtained from each participant to prepare two dried filter-paper blood spots (DBSs). DNA was extracted from the DBSs, and Plasmodium DNA was detected by nested PCR using species-specific primers. Per recommendations from the National Malaria Treatment Guidelines and because molecular detection was performed after the completion of the field studies, PCR-positive asymptomatic infections were not treated. Therefore, to determine malaria prevalence, six cross-sectional surveys were conducted, collecting blood samples from both groups at 3-month intervals between each round.

Monthly malaria incidence by passive case detectionupto 24 months

The another outcome of the study was the incidence of clinical malaria within 6 months of PQ MDA. Clinical malaria cases were diagnosed using an RDT (SD BIOLINETM Malaria Ag P.f/P.v test) and recorded at either the villages by the Integrated Community Malaria Volunteers or the township hospital.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Myanmar Health Network Organization

🇲🇲

Yangon, Myanmar

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