Artemether-Lumefantrine Effectiveness in Guinea-Bissau 2

The Routine Use of Coartem for Treatment of Symptomatic Children With Plasmodium Falciparum in Bissau - 2

The routine treatment of children with antimalarials will be monitored. Children with a positive malaria film and/or a positive rapid diagnostic test (RDT) will have a capillary blood sample taken to verify the diagnosis and to monitor the pattern of resistance.

Children from Bissau seeking medical advice and who are recommended treatment for malaria in accordance with the current routines will be included as follows:

All children getting the clinical diagnosis of malaria will be registered and basic information collected.

All children with a positive malaria film and/or a positive RDT will be asked for a capillary blood sample (app. 50 - 100 microliters on a filterpaper). Using PCR the parasitological diagnosis will be verified and if parasites are identified the resistance patterns will be examined. Both the capillary blood samples and the RDTs (if taken by the health staff) will be used in order to examine whether the RDTs can be used for routine monitoring of resistance in an area.

The study does not interfere in the routine treatment of the health staff. None of the children will be followed.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children seeking a health centre and by the health staff given the diagnosis: malaria and/or being treated with an antimalarial.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Children where the parents do not accept to participate in the study.