Trial on prophylactic therapeutics program against malaria in Southeast region of the Para State, Brazil

Abstract

A 35 week trial with a 4 aminoquinolinepyrimethamine association in colective oral prophylaxis of malaria in a farm in the Amazon region, Brazil, is reported. There, the disease is now in a hiperendemic status, threatening the development of the region. Special characteristics of the disease in the region are studied and the barriers and advantages for such a prophylactic method are presented. The necessity of a very good management for mantaining high protection levels is stressed. The level of protection was mantained at nearly 75% of the population and the incidence of the disease fall from 40 clinical cases to circa 1.5 per 100 inhabitants. As this level of incidence of the disease, the development of rural activities in the region was perfectly possible.