@article {1626,
	title = {Malaria Parasitemia after Mass Distribution of Azithromycin to Prevent Child Mortality in Burkina Faso: Results from a Cluster Randomized Trial.},
	journal = {Am J Trop Med Hyg},
	year = {2025},
	month = {2025 Jun 17},
	abstract = {<p>The twice-yearly mass distribution of azithromycin to children aged 1-59 months reduces all-cause child mortality. It has been suggested in some studies that mass azithromycin distributions may reduce malaria mortality and parasitemia; however, these studies have been conducted in the absence of seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC). Here, we evaluate malaria parasitemia in a cluster randomized trial of azithromycin versus a placebo in Burkina Faso, where SMC was being administered. Thin and thick smears were taken from a random sample of 15 children per cluster in 40 clusters that had been receiving twice-yearly azithromycin or a placebo for 36 months (six distributions). We found no evidence of a difference in malaria parasitemia between children in the azithromycin and placebo clusters (mean difference -6\% prevalence; 95\% CI -17\% to 6\%; P = 0.33). These results suggest that reductions in malaria parasitemia may not be a major contributor to the effect of azithromycin on child mortality in settings in which SMC is administered.</p>
},
	issn = {1476-1645},
	doi = {10.4269/ajtmh.25-0093},
	author = {Coulibaly, Boubacar and Sie, Ali and Ouattara, Mamadou and Bountogo, Mamadou and Compaor{\'e}, Guillaume and Compaor{\'e}, Adama and Nikiema, Moustapha and Sibiri, Nestor Demb{\'e}l{\'e} and Tiansi, J{\'e}r{\^o}me Nankon{\'e} and Lebas, Elodie and Fetterman, Ian and Hu, Huiyu and Doan, Thuy and Arnold, Benjamin F and Lietman, Thomas M and Oldenburg, Catherine E}
}
