Malaria chemoprophylaxis during a long-term stay in an endemic area: experience with mefloquine and chloroquine

Objective. To study the dynamics of occurrence of side effects of mefloquine and chloroquine after starting their regular prophylactic administration and to determine the optimal duration of a continuous cycle of malaria chemoprophylaxis. Subjects and methods. The authors present the results of following up the armed forces personnel from the Russian aviation group of the United Nations peace-keeping mission in Angola in 1996-1997 and used malaria chemoprophylaxis with mefloquine (250 mg once a week) and chloroquine (300 mg once a week). The military servicemen aged 22 to 53 years were followed up for 6 to 12 months. Results. At 4 months after starting medication administration, the proportion of people with signs of the hypersensitivity of mefloquine and chloroquine was 29.7 and 8.3%, respectively. By the end of the 5th month, that was 35.1 and 10.7%, respectively. The persons sensitive to mefloquine had weakness, nausea, sleep disturbance, signs of depression, and a decline in visual acuity. Weakness, short-lasting headache, tinnitus, and decreased appetite were observed in those who took chloroquine. Conclusion. When choosing a malaria chemoprophylaxis scheme, it is necessary to take into account individual drug sensitivity and the length of stay in an endemic area. As a rule, a continuous cycle of chemoprophylaxis should be planned for a period of not more than 3- 4 months. The package of antimalarial measures should additionally include measures to reduce the risk of infection, to protect against vector attacks, and to ensure early detection and effective treatment in infected people.

chloroquine, mefloquine, malaria, COVID-19, treatment, chemoprophylaxis, side effects, military servicemen