Malaria in older children and adolescents and the intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in school-aged children

Authors: Jane Achan

Studies were conducted in Burkina Faso and Uganda to determine the malaria burden in school-age children and evaluate the implementation feasibility, efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in school-aged children.

Studies consistently show that children aged between five and 15 years old have a high prevalence of malaria infection and are usually not likely to report associated symptoms. They are also more likely to be sub-microscopic carriers and to have lower use of both nets and treatment. The increasing burden of severe disease in this age group is likely to lead to increased mortality. Malaria infection in this age group not only impacts on children's health and education, but also serves as a source of onward parasite transmission, undermining elimination efforts.

A study was carried out in Burkina Faso to determine the baseline prevalence of malaria among school-aged children (5 to 15 years) in a selected health district and to evaluate the efficacy, safety, implementation feasibility and cost-effectiveness of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in school-aged children (IPTsc) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine plus amodiaquine (SPAQ) and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) plus integrated vector management (IVM). A similar study was carried out in Uganda, to determine the burden of malaria among school-age children in different regions, and the implementation feasibility, efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of IPTsc with DP alone, DP plus IVM and pyronaridine-artesunate (PA) given twice every school term in selected schools in Uganda.

This presentation was given at the 72nd annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.