Measuring malaria transmission after drug treatment

INTERVENTION: Combination antimalarial therapy versus established monotherapy. Single‐blind open‐label randomised controlled trial run over three consecutive transmission seasons in Farafenni, The Gambia. CONDITION: Malaria ; Infections and Infestations ; Malaria PRIMARY OUTCOME: Major endpoints were:; 1. Post‐treatment gametocyte carriage over 28 days; 2. Infectiousness to mosquitoes of children carrying gametocytes seven days after treatment SECONDARY OUTCOME: Minor endpoints were:; 1. Clinical and parasitological drug efficacy over 28 days of follow‐up INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Children one to ten years of age (either sex) attending Farafenni Health Centre, The Gambia, from September to December in each of 2000, 2001 and 2002 2. Children with a temperature more than 37.5°C, or a history of fever 3. Blood‐film positive for P. falciparum at a density greater than 500 parasites per ml 4. Signed informed consent was obtained