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

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 detemine 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.​

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Country: Burkina Faso | Uganda

Keywords: ASTMH | Malaria | SDGs