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Efficacy of malaria prevention during pregnancy in an area of low and unstable transmission: an individually-randomised placebo-controlled trial using intermittent preventive treatment and insecticide-treated nets in the Kabale Highlands, southwestern Uganda.

ABSTRACT: Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) and insecticide-treated nets (ITN) are recommended malaria interventions during pregnancy; however, there is limited information on their efficacy in areas of low malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. An individually-randomised placebo-controlled trial involving 5775 women of all parities examined the effect of IPTp, ITNs alone, or ITNs used in combination with IPTp on maternal anaemia and low birth weight (LBW) in a highland area of southwestern Uganda. The overall prevalence of malaria infection, maternal anaemia and LBW was 15.0%, 14.7% and 6.5%, respectively. Maternal and fetal outcomes were generally remarkably similar across all intervention groups (P>0.05 for all outcomes examined). A marginal difference in maternal haemoglobin was observed in the dual intervention group (12.57g/dl) compared with the IPTp and ITN alone groups (12.40g/dl and 12.44g/dl, respectively; P=0.04), but this was too slight to be of clinical importance. In conclusion, none of the preventive strategies was found to be superior to the others, and no substantial additional benefit to providing both IPTp and ITNs during routine antenatal services was observed. With ITNs offering a number of advantages over IPTp, yet showing comparable efficacy, we discuss why ITNs could be an appropriate preventive strategy for malaria control during pregnancy in areas of low and unstable transmission.

SUBMITTER: Ndyomugyenyi R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4205472 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Efficacy of malaria prevention during pregnancy in an area of low and unstable transmission: an individually-randomised placebo-controlled trial using intermittent preventive treatment and insecticide-treated nets in the Kabale Highlands, southwestern Uganda.

Ndyomugyenyi Richard R Clarke Siân E SE Hutchison Coll L CL Hansen Kristian Schultz KS Magnussen Pascal P

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 20111002 11

Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) and insecticide-treated nets (ITN) are recommended malaria interventions during pregnancy; however, there is limited information on their efficacy in areas of low malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. An individually-randomised placebo-controlled trial involving 5775 women of all parities examined the effect of IPTp, ITNs alone, or ITNs used in combination with IPTp on maternal anaemia and low birth weight (LBW) in a high ...[more]

PMID: 21962292

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Project description:IntroductionDelivery of intermittent preventive treatment with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine to pregnant women (IPTp-SP) through antenatal clinic (ANC) in Mali is low, and whilst ANC delivery of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) is higher, coverage is still below national and international targets. The aim of this study was to explain quantitative data from a related study which identified ineffective processes in the delivery of these interventions in one district in Mali.MethodsIn-depth interviews were conducted with health workers at the national, regional, district and health facility levels on their perceptions of reasons for the ineffective processes identified in the quantitative study, and their reported practices. Themes were coded for each ineffective process, and within these a health systems lens was used. Content analysis was used for emergent themes within this framework. MindMaps were used to display the findings.ResultsIntervention specific factors for the ineffective delivery of IPTp-SP included misunderstanding of the upper limit of the gestational age at which SP could be given and side effects of SP. Incorrect practices had been recommended in training and supervision of health workers. Pregnant women who were ill on attendance at ANC were not consistently managed across health facilities. The most common reason for not offering women an ITN on their first ANC visit was if they were from outside the health facility catchment area. Broader health systems issues influencing the effectiveness of delivery of each of these interventions were also identified.ConclusionIn this setting, intervention-specific factors resulted in the ineffective delivery of IPTp-SP. These relate to complex policy guidelines, lack of guidance on how to implement the guidelines, and the institutionalising of practices that undermine the national guidelines. Interventions may be implemented and show real gains in the shorter-term whilst waiting for broader health systems issues to be addressed.

Project description:BackgroundRift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic disease caused by Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) found in Africa and the Middle East. Outbreaks can cause extensive morbidity and mortality in humans and livestock. Following the diagnosis of two acute human RVF cases in Kabale district, Uganda, we conducted a serosurvey to estimate RVFV seroprevalence in humans and livestock and to identify associated risk factors.MethodsHumans and animals at abattoirs and villages in Kabale district were sampled. Persons were interviewed about RVFV exposure risk factors. Human blood was tested for anti-RVFV IgM and IgG, and animal blood for anti-RVFV IgG.Principal findings655 human and 1051 animal blood samples were collected. Anti-RVFV IgG was detected in 78 (12%) human samples; 3 human samples (0.5%) had detectable IgM only, and 7 (1%) had both IgM and IgG. Of the 10 IgM-positive persons, 2 samples were positive for RVFV by PCR, confirming recent infection. Odds of RVFV seropositivity were greater in participants who were butchers (odds ratio [OR] 5.1; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.7-15.1) and those who reported handling raw meat (OR 3.4; 95% CI 1.2-9.8). No persons under age 20 were RVFV seropositive. The overall animal seropositivity was 13%, with 27% of cattle, 7% of goats, and 4% of sheep seropositive. In a multivariate logistic regression, cattle species (OR 9.1; 95% CI 4.1-20.5), adult age (OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.6-5.6), and female sex (OR 2.1; 95%CI 1.0-4.3) were significantly associated with animal seropositivity. Individual human seropositivity was significantly associated with animal seropositivity by subcounty after adjusting for sex, age, and occupation (p < 0.05).ConclusionsAlthough no RVF cases had been detected in Uganda from 1968 to March 2016, our study suggests that RVFV has been circulating undetected in both humans and animals living in and around Kabale district. RVFV seropositivity in humans was associated with occupation, suggesting that the primary mode of RVFV transmission to humans in Kabale district could be through contact with animal blood or body fluids.

Project description:BackgroundGhana has adopted and implemented intermittent preventive treatment using sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) and insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in an antenatal care (ANC) context to prevent malaria among pregnant women. However, the increased ANC attendance and its frequency facilitated by a free maternal health care policy in Ghana does not correspond with the uptake of IPTp-SP and ITN use among pregnant women. This study sought to elucidate the contextual health system factors influencing the delivery of IPTp-SP and ITN from a related quantitative study conducted in Ghana.MethodsThis is the qualitative section of a mixed-methods study design, where audio recorded key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted with health workers from across health facilities, districts, regional and national health directorates. The KIIs elicited information on health worker knowledge, perceptions, and rationale for the delivery practices of IPTp-SP and ITN revealed in the quantitative findings. The interviews were transcribed and imported into NVivo for analysis. Using the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Systems Framework as the theoretical basis, thematic analysis was conducted under broad themes of the building blocks. Findings are presented in narrative quotes, with a mindmap used to summarize the various health system factors and their interrelated relationship influencing the delivery of IPTp-SP and ITN.ResultsHealth system factors identified included health staff untrained on malaria delivery directives due to an ineffective trainer of trainer (ToT) system. Additionally, health worker confusion on when to commence SP (at quickening or ≥ 16 weeks) was found to result in delayed start of SP. Stock-outs in facilities due to procurement delays at the national level resulted in missed opportunities to deliver SP to eligible pregnant women at the ANC. Similarly, ITN stock outs led to eligible pregnant women not receiving one at ANC clinics.ConclusionPoor health worker knowledge on policy directives, a consequence of ineffective training strategy led to delayed delivery of IPTp-SP to eligible pregnant women. Supply chain management challenges related to stock of SP and ITN resulted in missed opportunities to deliver the interventions to pregnant women attending ANC.

Project description:BACKGROUND:The efficacy of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) in pregnancy is threatened in parts of Africa by the emergence and spread of resistance to SP. Intermittent screening with a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and treatment of positive women (ISTp) is an alternative approach. METHODS AND FINDINGS:An open, individually randomized, non-inferiority trial of IPTp-SP versus ISTp was conducted in 5,354 primi- or secundigravidae in four West African countries with a low prevalence of resistance to SP (The Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana). Women in the IPTp-SP group received SP on two or three occasions whilst women in the ISTp group were screened two or three times with a RDT and treated if positive for malaria with artemether-lumefantrine (AL). ISTp-AL was non-inferior to IPTp-SP in preventing low birth weight (LBW), anemia and placental malaria, the primary trial endpoints. The prevalence of LBW was 15.1% and 15.6% in the IPTp-SP and ISTp-AL groups respectively (OR = 1.03 [95% CI: 0.88, 1.22]). The mean hemoglobin concentration at the last clinic attendance before delivery was 10.97g/dL and 10.94g/dL in the IPTp-SP and ISTp-AL groups respectively (mean difference: -0.03 g/dL [95% CI: -0.13, +0.06]). Active malaria infection of the placenta was found in 24.5% and in 24.2% of women in the IPTp-SP and ISTp-AL groups respectively (OR = 0.95 [95% CI 0.81, 1.12]). More women in the ISTp-AL than in the IPTp-SP group presented with malaria parasitemia between routine antenatal clinics (310 vs 182 episodes, rate difference: 49.4 per 1,000 pregnancies [95% CI 30.5, 68.3], but the number of hospital admissions for malaria was similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS:Despite low levels of resistance to SP in the study areas, ISTp-AL performed as well as IPTp-SP. In the absence of an effective alternative medication to SP for IPTp, ISTp-AL is a potential alternative to IPTp in areas where SP resistance is high. It may also have a role in areas where malaria transmission is low and for the prevention of malaria in HIV positive women receiving cotrimoxazole prophylaxis in whom SP is contraindicated. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01084213 Pan African Clinical trials Registry PACT201202000272122.

Dataset Information

Efficacy of malaria prevention during pregnancy in an area of low and unstable transmission: an individually-randomised placebo-controlled trial using intermittent preventive treatment and insecticide-treated nets in the Kabale Highlands, southwestern Uganda.

Publications

Efficacy of malaria prevention during pregnancy in an area of low and unstable transmission: an individually-randomised placebo-controlled trial using intermittent preventive treatment and insecticide-treated nets in the Kabale Highlands, southwestern Uganda.

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