Chloroquine-Resistant Malaria in West Africa

Abstract

Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum (CRPF) malaria is a potential threat to the health of approximately 1000 Amcerican Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) in West Africa. Minimizing that threat requires accurate and up-to-date information on the geographical extent of CRPF so that prophylaxis recommendations and treatment protocols can be based on the risk of CRPF in specific areas. Experience with spreading CRPF in East [1] and Central [2] Africa, as well as in Asia [3], has shown that chloroquine prophylaxis failure in nonimmunes often becomes widespread before chloroquine resistance is detected by standardized in vivo or in vitro sensitivity testing. To best define the extent of the risk of CRPF to PCVs in West Africa, we surveyed for evidence of chloroquine prophylaxis failure in nine West African countries between September 1985 and February 1988.