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Modelling the incremental benefit of introducing malaria to antenatal care in Africa

  • Patrick G.T. Walker
  • , Matt Cairns
  • , Hannah Slater
  • , Julie Gutman
  • , Kassoum Kayentao
  • , John E. Williams
  • , Sheick O. Coulibaly
  • , Carole Khairallah
  • , Steve Taylor
  • , Steven R. Meshnick
  • , Jenny Hill
  • , Victor Mwapasa
  • , Linda Kalilani-Phiri
  • , Kalifa Bojang
  • , Simon Kariuki
  • , Harry Tagbor
  • , Jamie T. Griffin
  • , Mwayi Madanitsa
  • , Azra C.H. Ghani
  • , Meghna Desai
  • Feiko Ter Kuile
  • Imperial College London
  • London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  • PATH
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako
  • Dodowa Health Research Centre
  • Université de Ouagadougou
  • Duke University
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Kamuzu University of Health Sciences
  • Kenya Medical Research Institute
  • University of Health and Allied Sciences
  • Queen Mary University of London

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Plasmodium falciparum in pregnancy is a major cause of adverse pregnancy outcomes. We combine performance estimates of standard rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) from trials of intermittent screening and treatment in pregnancy (ISTp) with modelling to assess whether

screening at antenatal visits improves upon current intermittent preventative therapy with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP). We estimate that RDTs in primigravidae at first antenatal visit are substantially more sensitive than in non-pregnant adults (OR=17.2, 95% Cr.I. 13.8-21.6), and that sensitivity declines in subsequent visits and with gravidity, likely driven by declining susceptibility to placental infection. Monthly ISTp with standard RDTs, even with highly effective drugs, is not superior to monthly IPTp-SP. However, a hybrid strategy, recently adopted in Tanzania, combining testing and treatment at first visit with IPTp-SP may offer benefit, especially in areas with high-grade SP resistance. Screening and treatment in the first trimester, when IPTp-SP is contraindicated, could substantially improve pregnancy outcomes.

Original languageEnglish
Article number3799
Pages (from-to)3799
JournalNature Communications
Volume11
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Jul 2020

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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