@article {866, title = {Effect of a single dose of oral azithromycin on malaria parasitaemia in children: a randomized controlled trial.}, journal = {Malar J}, volume = {20}, year = {2021}, month = {2021 Aug 31}, pages = {360}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Azithromycin has recently been shown to reduce all-cause childhood mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. One potential mechanism of this effect is via the anti-malarial effect of azithromycin, which may help treat or prevent malaria infection. This study evaluated short- and longer-term effects of azithromycin on malaria outcomes in children.

METHODS: Children aged 8 days to 59 months were randomized in a 1:1 fashion to a single oral dose of azithromycin (20\ mg/kg) or matching placebo. Children were evaluated for malaria via thin and thick smear and rapid diagnostic test (for those with tympanic temperature >= 37.5\ {\textdegree}C) at baseline and 14 days and 6 months after treatment. Malaria outcomes in children receiving azithromycin versus placebo were compared at each follow-up timepoint separately.

RESULTS: Of 450 children enrolled, 230 were randomized to azithromycin and 220 to placebo. Children were a median of 26 months and 51\% were female, and 17\% were positive for malaria parasitaemia at baseline. There was no evidence of a difference in malaria parasitaemia at 14 days or 6 months after treatment. In the azithromycin arm, 20\% of children were positive for parasitaemia at 14 days compared to 17\% in the placebo arm (P = 0.43) and 7.6\% vs. 5.6\% in the azithromycin compared to placebo arms at 6 months (P = 0.47).

CONCLUSIONS: Azithromycin did not affect malaria outcomes in this study, possibly due to the individually randomized nature of the trial. Trial registration\ This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03676751; registered 19 September 2018).

}, issn = {1475-2875}, doi = {10.1186/s12936-021-03895-9}, author = {Coulibaly, Boubacar and Sie, Ali and Dah, Clarisse and Bountogo, Mamadou and Ouattara, Mamadou and Compaor{\'e}, Adama and Nikiema, Moustapha and Tiansi, J{\'e}r{\^o}me Nankon{\'e} and Sibiri, Nestor Demb{\'e}l{\'e} and Brogdon, Jessica M and Lebas, Elodie and Doan, Thuy and Porco, Travis C and Lietman, Thomas M and Oldenburg, Catherine E} }