Efficacy and Safety of Azithromycin-Chloroquine versus Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine for Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Infection in Pregnant Women in Africa: An Open-Label, Randomized Trial

Abstract

The World Health Organization recommends intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) in African regions with moderate to high malaria transmission. However, growing resistance to SP threatens the effectiveness of IPTp-SP, and alternative drugs are needed. This study tested the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of a fixed-dose combination azithromycin-chloroquine (AZCQ; 250 mg AZ/155 mg CQ base) for IPTp relative to IPTp-SP.