Questionnaire-based analysis of atovaquone–proguanil compared with mefloquine in the chemoprophylaxis of malaria in non-immune Japanese travelers

• Published in: Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 20 - 23
• Main Authors: Kato, Tetsuro, Okuda, Joji, Ide, Daisuke, Amano, Katsushi, Takei, Yutaka, Yamaguchi, Yuko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2013; Springer Japan
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antimalarials - adverse effects; Antimalarials - therapeutic use; Atovaquone - adverse effects; Atovaquone - therapeutic use; Atovaquone–proguanil; Chemoprevention; Chemoprophylaxis; Child; Drug Combinations; Female; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Japan; Japanese travelers; Malaria; Malaria - prevention & control; Male; Medical Microbiology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mefloquine; Mefloquine - adverse effects; Mefloquine - therapeutic use; Middle Aged; Original Article; Proguanil - adverse effects; Proguanil - therapeutic use; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tolerability; Travel; Virology; Young Adult; Japan; Chemoprophylaxis; Tolerability; Mefloquine; Malaria; Atovaquone–proguanil; Japanese travelers
• ISSN: 1341-321X; 1437-7780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10156-012-0446-z

Abstract Malaria is one of the most common and serious infectious diseases in the tropics and subtropics. For high-risk travelers to endemic regions, malaria chemoprophylaxis is recommended. Internationally, atovaquone–proguanil (A/P), mefloquine (MEF), or doxycycline (DOX) are the prescribed malaria chemoprophylactic drugs. However, A/P and DOX are not approved in Japan. Therefore, the data on A/P for malaria chemoprophylaxis in Japanese travelers are not clear. We analyzed questionnaire survey data obtained in Hibiya Clinic to assess the safety and tolerability of A/P and compare them with those of MEF for non-immune Japanese travelers. A/P was given to 278 travelers and MEF to 38 travelers. The mean duration of each prophylaxis is for 20.0 ± 9.6 and 59.0 ± 15.9 days, respectively. Nine travelers discontinued prophylaxis: 5 in the A/P prescribed group (A/P group) and 4 in the MEF prescribed group (MEF group), and the rate of discontinuation was significantly less in the A/P group. The frequency of adverse events was significantly less in the A/P group than in the MEF group [52 cases (18.8 %) vs. 14 cases (36.8 %), respectively]. In particular, the frequency of psychoneurotic adverse events was significantly less in the A/P group. These results suggest that A/P is better tolerated and has fewer adverse events than MEF in non-immune Japanese travelers.