An Attempt to Eradicate Malaria by the Weekly Administration of Pyrimethamine in Areas of Out-of-Doors Transmission in Venezuela

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Abstract
Summary Pyrimethamine was used in two areas of Venezuela with partially refractory malaria where the vectors were Anopheles aquasalis and Anopheles nunez-tovari. During the months of July through December, 1957, a total of 111,995 people received pyrimethamine once weekly at a dose of 50 mg to adults and correspondingly smaller doses to children. The above dosages were eminently effective in stopping transmission as evidenced by the fact that no parasite-positive cases were found during the last three months of the project. Relapses appeared in both areas, however, after drug administration was stopped which showed that pyrimethamine as employed here did not produce suppressive cure of all vivax infections. It is hoped that pyrimethamine given at the same dosage and continued for a greater length of time in areas of partially refractory malaria will interrupt transmission until the infections die out.

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