Pharmacokinetic profile of amodiaquine and its active metabolite desethylamodiaquine in Ghanaian patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria.

Background: Accurate measurement of anti-malarial drug concentrations in therapeutic efficacy studies is essential to distinguish between inadequate drug exposure and anti-malarial drug resistance, and to inform optimal anti-malarial dosing in key target population groups.

Methods: A sensitive and selective LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of amodiaquine and its active metabolite, desethylamodiaquine, and used to describe their pharmacokinetic parameters in Ghanaian patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria treated with the fixed-dose combination, artesunate-amodiaquine.

Results: The day-28 genotype-adjusted adequate clinical and parasitological response rate in 308 patients studied was > 97% by both intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis.

Tuberculosis Diagnosis in Children Using Xpert Ultra on Different Respiratory Specimens.

Microbiological confirmation of pulmonary tuberculosis in children is desirable. To investigate the diagnostic accuracy and incremental yield of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Ultra; Cepheid), a new rapid test, on repeated induced sputum, nasopharyngeal aspirates, and combinations of specimens. Consecutive South African children hospitalized with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis were enrolled.

Serologic Responses in Childhood Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Background: Identification of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis immunoproteome and antigens associated with serologic responses in adults has renewed interest in developing a serologic test for childhood tuberculosis (TB). We investigated IgG antibody responses against M. tuberculosis antigens in children with well-characterized TB.

Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Children: Assessment of the 2012 National Institutes of Health Expert Consensus Criteria.

Background: The 2012 National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus criteria for standardized diagnostic categories of pulmonary tuberculosis in children have not been validated. We aimed to assess the NIH diagnostic criteria in children with culture-confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis and those in whom tuberculosis has been excluded.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of consecutive children hospitalized with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis in Cape Town, South Africa, who were enrolled in a diagnostic study.

Human rhinovirus infection in young African children with acute wheezing.

Background: Infections caused by human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are important triggers of wheezing in young children. Wheezy illness has increasingly been recognised as an important cause of morbidity in African children, but there is little information on the contribution of HRV to this. The aim of this study was to determine the role of HRV as a cause of acute wheezing in South African children.