Guidelines for malaria prevention in travellers from the United ...

G UIDELINES FOR M ALARIA P REVENTION IN
T RAVELLERS FROM THE U NITED K INGDOM
DOSES OF PROPHYLACTIC ANTIMALARIALS FOR CHILDREN
TABLE 4
40
DRUG AND TABLET SIZE_
WEIGHT IN KG
CHLOROQUINE PROGUANIL MEFLOQUINE DOXYCYCLINE AGE
150mg 100mg 250mg 100mg
Under 6.0 0.125 dose 0.125 dose Term to
1/4 tablet 1/4 tablet Not recommended • Not recommended 12 weeks
6.0 to 9.9 0.25 dose 0.25 dose 0.25 dose 3 months to
1/2 tablet 1/2 tablet 1/4 tablet Not recommended 11 months
10.0 to 15.9 0.375 dose 0.375 dose 0.25 dose** 1 year to
3/4 tablet 3/4 tablet 1/4 tablet Not recommended 3 yrs
11 months
16.0 to 24.9 0.5 dose 0.5 dose 0.5 dose 4 years to
1 tablet 1 tablet 1/2 tablet Not recommended 7 yrs
11 months
25.0 to 44.9 0.75 dose 0.75 dose 0.75 dose adult dose 8 years to
11/2 tablets 11/2 tablets 3/4 tablet from age 12y 12 yrs
1 tablet † 11 months
45 kg & over Adult dose Adult dose Adult dose Adult dose 13 years and
2 tablets 2 tablets 1 tablet 1 tablet over
**For mefloquine at this age/weight, 0.375 dose would be preferable, but
cannot be safely provided by breaking the adult tablet.
†
The adult dose is necessary when doxycycline is only available in capsule form
and 3/4 is not feasible.
N.B. Atovaquone/proguanil paediatric dosage is given in Table 6.
Weight is a better guide than age for children over 6 months, so
children should be weighed for the purpose of dosage calculation.
Doxycycline is unsuitable for children under 12 years.
Caution: In other countries tablet strength may vary.
• The SPC for mefloquine indicates that it can be used for those
weighing more than 5 kgs. Therefore, mefloquine (0.25 dose, _
tablet) may be advised for children weighing 5 to 9.9 kg.