Comparing Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine+Chloroquine and Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine to Control for Malaria Prevention in Malawian School Children: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

A study compared the effectiveness of two antimalarial drugs for malaria prevention in 646 school children in Malawi. Children were divided into three groups: the first received Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine (DP), the second received Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine with Chloroquine (SP+CQ), and the third group received placebo. Results showed that Plasmodium falciparum infection occurred in 18% of children in the DP group, 27% in the SP+CQ group, and 48% in the control group. Compared to control, both treatments significantly reduced the probability of infection (DP by 78%, SP+CQ by 62%). Both treatments also reduced the incidence of anemia and clinical malaria. The results suggest that SP+CQ may be a suitable alternative to DP for malaria prevention in school children in Malawi and similar settings.