Chloroquine is a 9-aminoquinolone with well-known anti-malarial effects. It has biochemical properties that could be applied to inhibit viral replication. The authors  report here that chloroquine is able to inhibit influenza A virus replication, in vitro, and the IC50s of chloroquine against influenza A viruses H1N1 and H3N2 are lower than the plasma concentrations reached during treatment of acute malaria. The potential of chloroquine to be added to the limited range of anti-influenza drugs should be explored further, particularly since antiviral drugs play a vital role in influenza pandemic preparedness.

The therapeutic efficacy of artesunate plus amodiaquine and artemether/lumefantrine were assessed in an area of Nigeria with high levels of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine. Children aged 6 to 59 months with uncomplicated P. falciparum infection and parasite density 1,000 to 200,000 parasites/microL enrolled following informed consent by parents. Eligible children were randomly assigned to receive either a 3-day course of artesunate (4 mg/kg) plus amodiaquine (10 mg/kg) or 6-dose course of artemether/lumefantrine (20/120 mg tablets) over three days. Patients were followed up with clinical and laboratory assessments until day 14 using standard WHO in-vivo antimalarial drug test protocol. A total 119 eligible children were enrolled but 111 completed the study. Adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) was 47 (87.0%) and 47 (82.5%) for artemether-lumefantrine (AL) and artesunate+amodiaquine (AAMQ) respectively (OR 0.7, 95% confidence interval 0.22 to 2.22). Early treatment failure (ETF) occurred in one participant (1.8%) treated with AAQ but in none of those with AL. Two (3.7%) patients in the AL group and none in the AAQ group had late clinical failure. Late parasitological failure was observed in 9 (15.8) and 5 (9.3%) of patients treated with AAQ and AL respectively. None of participants had a serious adverse event. Artemether-lumefantrine and artesunate plus amodiaquine have high and comparable cure rates and tolerability among under-five children in Calabar, Nigeria.