MALARIOMETRIC SURVEY IN KEOUDOM DISTRICT, LAOS: SENSITIVITY OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM TO ANTI­ MALARIALS AND AUTOMEDICATION WITH CHLOROQUINE

A malariometric survey was conducted in the Keoudom District, in the northern part of Vientiane Province, Laos, where an artificial dam-lake on the Nam River is located. The parasite rate of the whole cohort representing 1,105 subjects was 2.44% with the predominance of Plasmodium vivax (70%), while P. Jalciparum represented 30% with the average parasite density index 3. The low spleen rate (2.3%) characterized the study area as a hypoendemic zone. IFAT antibodies were examined in 419 sub­ jects. The seropositivity of 195 persons 15 year old subjects seropositivity was 61.6% with a low GMRT in both groups (140 : 148). Automedication with aminoquinoline was assayed by urinary analysis in 125 outpatients. Of these, 36 (28.8%) were positive, 89 (71.2%) negative. The frequency of positive blood films for P. Jalciparum was higher in subjects with aminoquinoline in the urine (36.1 %) than in those without (IOJ %). Chloroquine sensitivity assay of 15 strains of P. Jalciparum displayed resistance in 39.3%.