ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To estimate the relative frequency of reported adverse drug reactions during the malaria chemoprophylactic period of the Moroccan contingent in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). METHODS: The transversal survey involved all military personnel of the Moroccan contingent and was carried out using a questionnaire to be filled out by a multidisciplinary medical team. It was performed in all the military sites and the advanced posts accessible during the period of the study. RESULTS: The study involved 362 male military subjects. Ninety-four adverse drug reactions were described: neuropsychiatric (anxiety, irritability, dizziness...) [n=76], digestive (anorexia, diarrhea, nausea...) [n=42], cardiovascular (tachycardia, palpitation, precordialgia...) [n=5], musculoskeletal (arthralgia, cramps) [n=4], cutaneous (redness, purpura) [n=2], and other (n=13). No "unexpected" or "serious" adverse drug reaction was reported. The causality assessment score was determined in 94 cases. Two of these reports were rated "likely", 12 "possible" and 80 doubtful. More adverse drug reactions were reported by subjects having medical and paramedical functions. CONCLUSION: During our study, mefloquine induced adverse drug reactions in a quarter of the treated subjects. Most of the adverse drug reactions were neuropsychiatric. No "serious" adverse drug reactions were reported underlying the interest of its use, even for long-term chemoprophylaxis.
Subject(s)
Antimalarials/adverse effects , Malaria, Falciparum/prevention & control , Mefloquine/adverse effects , Adult , Antimalarials/administration & dosage , Democratic Republic of the Congo/epidemiology , Humans , Malaria, Falciparum/epidemiology , Male , Mefloquine/administration & dosage , Middle Aged , Military Personnel , Morocco/ethnology , Plasmodium falciparum/isolation & purification , Surveys and Questionnaires , Time Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: The objective of our survey is to value the availability of the antidotes in the main Moroccan hospitals. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A questionnaire constituted of 15 items and permitting to appreciate the availability of 43 antidotes selected in the literature, has been addressed to 9 hospitals of which 3 soldiers. RESULTS: Five per cent of the antidotes were available in all hospitals having answered to our questionnaire. Forty two per cent of the antidotes missed to all structures, the rest (47%) had a variable availability according to the structures. The list of the missing antidotes is long and contains classified vital products of group A of the recommendations of the IPCS (International Program on Chemical Safety) like the specific antibodies of the digoxine and the methylene blue. CONCLUSION: The found results are troubling and often unveil sometimes a big problem of management of these products vital and constituent the unique treatment.
