The frequency of malaria is similar among women receiving either lopinavir/ritonavir or nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment.

• Published in: PLoS ONE
• Main Authors: Tina S Skinner-Adams, Alice S Butterworth, Kimberly A Porter, Ronald D'Amico, Fred Sawe, Doug Shaffer, Abraham Siika, Mina C Hosseinipour, Elizabeth Stringer, Judith S Currier, Tsungai Chipato, Robert Salata, Shahin Lockman, Joseph J Eron, Steven R Meshnick, James S McCarthy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
• Online Access: http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3317955?pdf=render
• ISSN: 1932-6203

HIV protease inhibitors (PIs) show antimalarial activity in vitro and in animals. Whether this translates into a clinical benefit in HIV-infected patients residing in malaria-endemic regions is unknown. We studied the incidence of malaria, as defined by blood smear positivity or a positive Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 antigen test, among 444 HIV-infected women initiating antiretroviral treatment (ART) in the OCTANE trial (A5208; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00089505). Participants were randomized to treatment with PI-containing vs. PI-sparing ART, and were followed prospectively for ≥48 weeks; 73% also received cotrimoxazole prophylaxis. PI-containing treatment was not associated with protection against malaria in this study population.