Ivermectin lowers malaria rate

From Science Daily:

Malaria reduction in Kenya In Kwale County, Kenya, children who received ivermectin experienced a 26% reduction in malaria infection incidence compared to those who received albendazole, the control drug used in the study. The trial involved over 20,000 participants and more than 56,000 treatments, demonstrating that ivermectin significantly reduced malaria infection rates -- particularly among children living further from cluster borders or in areas where drug distribution was more efficient. Moreover, the safety profile of ivermectin was favorable, with no severe drug-related adverse events and only mild, transient side effects already seen with ivermectin in campaigns against neglected tropical diseases. "We are thrilled with these results," says Carlos Chaccour, co-principal investigator of the BOHEMIA project and ISGlobal researcher at the time of the study. "Ivermectin has shown great promise in reducing malaria transmission and could complement existing control measures. With continued research, ivermectin MDA could become an effective tool for malaria control and even contribute to elimination efforts," Chaccour, who is now a researcher at the Navarra Centre for International Development at the University of Navarra, adds. "These results align with the World Health Organization's (WHO) criteria for new vector control tools," states Joseph Mwangangi, from the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme. "The findings suggest that ivermectin MDA could be a valuable complementary strategy for malaria control, particularly in areas where mosquito resistance to insecticides is a growing concern,"