RESUMO
A protocol for assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of chloroquine against Plasmodium falciparum malaria was evaluated in Sudan. An in vivo test was implemented in five sentinel posts in areas of unstable malaria during the transmission season. A standard dose of oral chloroquine was administered to a random sample of patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria attending primary health care units and they were followed-up for clinical and parasitological response for 14 days. Designations of "early treatment failure", "late treatment failure" and "adequate response" were based on clinical and parasitological criteria. Data analysis for prevalence of resistance was done for each individual sentinel post, using two-stage Lot QualityAssurance Sampling. At 95% confidence level and 80% power, the prevalence of chloroquine resistance was found to be 25% in all five posts. It is concluded that the protocol was simple and easily applicable at the peripheral level and could be the basis for sentinel post's for continuous monitoring of malaria drug resistance in the whole country.
