Intermittent screening and treatment for malaria complementary to routine immunisation in the first year of life in Papua, Indonesia: a cluster randomised superiority trial

BACKGROUND

In Papua (Indonesia), infants with P. falciparum and/or P. vivax malaria are at risk of severe anaemia and death. We hypothesized that in an area of high malaria transmission, intermittent screening and treatment of infants with malaria (ISTi) will reduce morbidity compared to passive case detection (PCDi).

METHODS

We conducted a cluster randomised, open label, superiority trial. A total of 21 clusters of village health posts (VHP) were randomised 1:1 to either IST for infants coinciding with 4 routine immunisation visits or PCDi. Healthy term infants born to consenting mothers enrolled into a maternal malaria cluster randomised trial were included in the study and followed for 12 months. Point of care malaria rapid diagnostic tests were used to detect peripheral parasitaemia at 2, 3, 4 and 9 months old in all infants in ISTi clusters and when symptomatic in PCDi clusters. Infants with detected peripheral parasitaemia were treated with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine. The co-primary outcomes were the incidence rate of clinical malaria in the first year of life and the prevalence of parasitaemia at age 12 months. The incidence rate ratio and prevalence ratio between ISTi and PCDi were estimated using mixed-effects Poisson and log-binomial regression modelling (accounting for clustering at VHP level).

RESULTS

Between May 2014 and February 2017, 757 infants were enrolled into the study, 313 into 10 ISTi clusters, and 444 into 11 PCDi clusters. Overall, 132 episodes of parasitaemia were detected, of whom 17 (12.9%) were in symptomatic infants. Over 12 months, the incidence rate (IR) of clinical malaria was 24 [95% CI, 10-50] per 1000 children-years at risk in the ISTi arm and 19 [95% CI, 8,38] per 1000 children-years in the PCDi arm (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 1.77 [95% CI, 0.62-5.01]; p = 0.280). The prevalence of parasitaemia at 12 months was 13% (33/254) in the IST clusters and 15% (57/379) in the PCD clusters (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) = 0.92 (95% CI, 0.70-1.21), p = 0.55). There was no difference in the risk of anaemia between treatment arms.

CONCLUSIONS

In high malaria transmission area outside of Africa, our study suggests that compared to PCDi, ISTi offers no significant benefit in reducing the risk of clinical malaria in infants born to women receiving effective protection from malaria during pregnancy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02001428 , registered on 20 Nov 2013.

Supervised versus unsupervised primaquine radical cure for the treatment of falciparum and vivax malaria in Papua, Indonesia: a cluster-randomised, controlled, open-label superiority trial

BACKGROUND

There is a high risk of Plasmodium vivax recurrence in patients treated for Plasmodium falciparum malaria in co-endemic areas. Primaquine radical cure has the potential to reduce P vivax recurrences in patients presenting with P falciparum as well as P vivax malaria but is undermined by poor adherence to the currently recommended 14-day regimen. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of supervised versus unsupervised primaquine radical cure in patients presenting with uncomplicated malaria.

METHODS

We did a cluster-randomised, controlled, open-label superiority trial in Papua, Indonesia. 21 clusters of village health posts, matched by annual parasite index, were randomly assigned (1:1) to treat patients (age >12 months and body weight >5 kg) presenting with confirmed uncomplicated P falciparum or P vivax malaria with oral dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine plus either a supervised or unsupervised 14-day course of oral primaquine (0·5 mg/kg per day). Patients in the supervised group were supervised taking their primaquine dose on alternate days. Patients were followed-up for 6 months and those who presented again with malaria were retreated with the same drug regimen. Masking was not possible due to the nature of the study. The primary outcome was the incidence risk of P vivax malaria over 6 months, assessed in the modified intention-to-treat population (all patients who were assigned to a treatment group, excluding patients who were lost to follow-up after their first visit). This trial is now complete, and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02787070.

FINDINGS

Between Sept 14, 2016, and July 31, 2018, 436 patients were screened for eligibility and 419 were enrolled; 223 (53%) patients in 11 clusters were assigned to supervised primaquine treatment and 196 (47%) in ten clusters to unsupervised primaquine treatment. 161 (72%) of 223 patients in the supervised group and 151 (77%) of 196 in the unsupervised group completed 6 months of follow-up. At 6 months, the incidence risk of P vivax recurrence in the supervised group was 29·7% (95% CI 16·4-49·9) versus 55·8% (32·3-81·8) in the unsupervised group (hazard ratio 0·23 [95% CI 0·07-0·76]; p=0·016). The incidence rate for P vivax recurrence was 539 (95% CI 390-747) infections per 1000 person-years in the supervised group versus 859 (673-1096) in the unsupervised group (incidence rate ratio 0·63 [95% CI 0·42-0·94]; p=0·025). The corresponding rates in the 224 patients who presented with P falciparum malaria were 346 (95% CI 213-563) and 660 (446-977; incidence rate ratio 0·52 [95% CI 0·28-0·98]; p=0·043). Seven serious adverse events were reported (three in the supervised group, four in the unsupervised group), none of which were deemed treatment-related, and there were no deaths.

INTERPRETATION

In this area of moderate malaria transmission, supervision of primaquine radical cure treatment reduced the risk of P vivax recurrence. This finding was apparent for patients presenting with either P falciparum or P vivax malaria. Further studies are warranted to investigate the safety and efficacy of radical cure for patients presenting with uncomplicated falciparum malaria in other co-endemic areas.

FUNDING

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Australian Government.

TRANSLATION

For the Indonesian translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Cost-effectiveness of intermittent preventive treatment with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine versus single screening and treatment for the control of malaria in pregnancy in Papua, Indonesia: a provider perspective analysis from a cluster-randomised trial

BACKGROUND

Malaria infection during pregnancy is associated with serious adverse maternal and birth outcomes. A randomised controlled trial in Papua, Indonesia, comparing the efficacy of intermittent preventive treatment with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine with the current strategy of single screening and treatment showed that intermittent preventive treatment is a promising alternative treatment for the reduction of malaria in pregnancy. We aimed to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of intermittent preventive treatment with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine compared with single screening and treatment with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine.

METHODS

We did a provider perspective analysis. A decision tree model was analysed from a health provider perspective over a lifetime horizon. Model parameters were used in deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Simulations were run in hypothetical cohorts of 1000 women who received intermittent preventive treatment or single screening and treatment. Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for fetal loss or neonatal death, low birthweight, moderate or severe maternal anaemia, and clinical malaria were calculated from trial data and cost estimates in 2016 US dollars from observational studies, health facility costings and public procurement databases. The main outcome measure was the incremental cost per DALY averted.

FINDINGS

Relative to single screening and treatment, intermittent preventive treatment resulted in an incremental cost of US$5657 (95% CI 1827 to 9448) and 107·4 incremental DALYs averted (-719·7 to 904·1) per 1000 women; the average incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $53 per DALY averted.

INTERPRETATION

Intermittent preventive treatment with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine offers a cost-effective alternative to single screening and treatment for the prevention of the adverse effects of malaria infection in pregnancy in the context of the moderate malaria transmission setting of Papua. The higher cost of intermittent preventive treatment was driven by monthly administration, as compared with single-administration single screening and treatment. However, acceptability and feasibility considerations will also be needed to inform decision making.

FUNDING

Medical Research Council, Department for International Development, and Wellcome Trust.

Evaluation of the implementation of single screening and treatment for the control of malaria in pregnancy in Eastern Indonesia: a systems effectiveness analysis

Background

Indonesia introduced single screening and treatment (SST) of pregnant women for the control of malaria in pregnancy in 2012. Under this policy pregnant women are screened for malaria at their first antenatal clinic (ANC) visit and on subsequent visits are tested for malaria only if symptomatic. The implementation of this policy in two districts of Indonesia was evaluated. Cross sectional survey structured observations of the ANC visit and exit interviews with pregnant women were conducted to assess health provider compliance with SST guidelines. Systems effectiveness analysis was performed on components of the strategy. Multiple logistic regression was used to test for predictors of women being screened at their first ANC visit.

Results

A total of 865 and 895 ANC visits in Mimika and West Sumba across seven and ten health facilities (plus managed health posts) respectively, were included in the study. Adherence to malaria screening at first ANC visit among pregnant women was 51.4% (95% CI 11.9, 89.2) in health facilities in Mimika (94.8% in health centres) and 24.8% (95% CI 10.3, 48.9) in West Sumba (60.0% in health centres). Reported fever was low amongst women presenting for their second and above ANC visit (2.8% in Mimika and 3.5% in West Sumba) with 89.5% and 46.2% of these women tested for malaria in Mimka and West Sumba, respectively. Cumulative systems effectiveness for SST on first visit to ANC was 7.6% for Mimika and 0.1% for West Sumba; and for second or above visits to ANC was 0.7% in Mimika and 0% in West Sumba. Being screened on a 1st visit to ANC was associated with level of health facility in both sites.

Conclusion

Cumulative systems effectiveness of the SST strategy was poor in both sites. Both elements of the SST strategy, screening on first visit and passive case detection on second and above visits, was driven by the difference in implementation of malaria testing in health centres and health posts, and by low malaria transmission levels and reported fever.

Treatment-Seeking Behavior after the Implementation of a Unified Policy of Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Malaria in Papua, Indonesia

Artemisinin combination therapy is recommended for the treatment of multidrug resistant Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. In March 2006, antimalarial policy in Indonesia was changed to a unified treatment with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for all species of malaria because of the low efficacy of previous drug treatments. In 2013, a randomized cross-sectional household survey in Papua was used to collect data on demographics, parasite positivity, treatment-seeking behavior, diagnosis and treatment of malaria, and household costs. Results were compared with a similar survey undertaken in 2005. A total of 800 households with 4,010 individuals were included in the 2013 survey. The prevalence of malaria parasitemia was 12% (348/2,795). Of the individuals who sought treatment of fever, 67% (66/98) reported attending a public provider at least once compared with 46% (349/764) before policy change (P < 0.001). During the 100 visits to healthcare providers, 95% (95) included a blood test for malaria and 74% (64/86) resulted in the recommended antimalarial for the diagnosed species, the corresponding figures before policy change were 48% (433/894) and 23% (78/336). The proportion of individuals seeking treatment more than once fell from 14% (107/764) before policy change to 2% (2/98) after policy change (P = 0.005). The mean indirect cost per fever episode requiring treatment seeking decreased from US$44.2 in 2005 to US$33.8 in 2013 (P = 0.006). The implementation of a highly effective antimalarial treatment was associated with better adherence of healthcare providers in both the public and private sectors and a reduction in clinical malaria and household costs.

Asymptomatic Vivax and Falciparum Parasitaemia with Helminth Co-Infection: Major Risk Factors for Anaemia in Early Life

BACKGROUND

Anaemia in children under five years old is associated with poor health, growth and developmental outcomes. In Papua, Indonesia, where the burden of anaemia in infants is high, we conducted a community survey to assess the association between Plasmodium infection, helminth carriage and the risk of anaemia.

METHODS

A cross sectional household survey was carried out between April and July 2013 in 16 villages in the District of Mimika using a multistage sampling procedure. A total of 629 children aged 1-59 months from 800 households were included in the study. Demographic, symptom and anthropometry data were recorded using a standardized questionnaire. Blood and stool samples were collected for examination.

RESULTS

Of the 533 children with blood film examination, 8.8% (47) had P. vivax parasitaemia and 3.9% (21) had P. falciparum; the majority of children with malaria were asymptomatic (94.4%, 68/72). Soil transmitted helminth (STH) infection was present in 43% (105/269) of children assessed; those with STH were at significantly greater risk of P. vivax parasitaemia compared to those without STH (OR = 3.7 [95%CI 1.5-9.2], p = 0.004). Anaemia (Hb<10 g/dl) was present in 24.5% (122/497) of children and associated with P. vivax parasitaemia (OR = 2.9 [95%CI, 1.7-4.9], p = 0.001), P. falciparum parasitaemia (OR = 4.3 [95%CI, 2.0-9.4], p<0.001), hookworm carriage (OR = 2.6 [95%CI, 1.2-5.8], p = 0.026), Plasmodium-helminth coinfection (OR 4.0 [95%CI, 1.4-11.3], p = 0.008) and severe stunting (OR = 1.9 ([95%CI, 1.1-3.3], p = 0.012).

CONCLUSIONS

Asymptomatic P. vivax and P. falciparum infections and hookworm all contribute to risk of paediatric anaemia in coendemic areas and should be targeted with prevention and treatment programs. The relationship between helminth infections and the increased risk of P. vivax parasitaemia should be explored prospectively.