Malaria as a Risk Factor for COVID-19 in Western Kenya and Burkina Faso

Background: In Africa, COVID-19 has the potential to cripple the continent's fragile healthcare systems and be devastating economically. It is unknown whether malaria infection worsens COVID-19, affects the acquisition of protective antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, or contributes to its onwards spread by resulting in higher viral loads and/or longer duration of viral shedding. It is also unknown if the effective clearance of malaria parasites and/or the choice of antimalarials affects any of these potential associations. His study will determine if the antimalarial pyronaridine, in the fixed-dose combination of pyronaridine-artesunate, has a positive, negative or negligible effect on COVID-19 disease progression or duration of viral carriage and the seroconversion rate to SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: A malaria treatment trial will be conducted nested within a larger observational COVID-19 cohort study in highly malaria-endemic areas in western Kenya and Burkina-Faso. The COVID-19 cohort study consists of approximately 708 newly diagnosed COVID-19 patient of all ages. They will be enrolled from a source population of approximately 4,720 individuals of all ages screened for SARS-CoV-2. It is anticipated that approximately 142 of the 708 cohort participants will be co-infected with malaria. These co-infected participants will be enrolled in the nested malaria treatment trial if they have uncomplicated malaria and are able to take oral medication. They will be randomized to receive either a standard 3-day treatment course of artemether-lumefantrine (the current first-line treatment) or pyronaridine-artesunate, a new highly effective antimalarial combination that is being rolled out as first or second-line treatment in western Kenya and Burkina Faso. All 142 patients will be followed for 42 days and nasal swabs and blood samples taken on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28. Malaria smears will be taken on days 3, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 42. The primary endpoint is the rate of SARS-CoV-2 clearance by day-7.

To limit the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, strict adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines, including use of personal protection equipment (PPE), and measures for patient transport will be followed as per national guidelines in each country. Written informed consent/assent will be sought.

Partners: This 18-months study is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and is part of a collaboration between the Kenyan Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) in Kenya; the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM); the Ministry of Health, Kenya; the Groupe de Recherche Action en Santé (GRAS), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; the Ministry of Health in Burkina Faso, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). LSTM and LSHTM will act as sponsors for the studies in Kenya and Burkina Faso, respectively.

Inclusion criteria

• Laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, with positive molecular test results within the past 72 hours*
• Aged >=6 months **
• Resident in the study area
• The participant or caretaker is willing and able to give informed consent or assent with parent/guardian informed consent for participation in the study
• Agrees not to self-medicate with chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine or other antimalarials with potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 properties
• Not previously diagnosed with COVID-19
• Contactable by phone for follow-up permitting real-time, reliable information
• Uncomplicated malaria, defined as able to take oral medication
• Bodyweight ≥5kg
• Confirmed malaria infection by RDT (pLDH) or microscopy

Exclusion criteria

• Unwilling or unable to provide informed consent/assent
• The participant is judged by the Investigator to be at significant risk of failing to comply with the provisions of the protocol as to cause harm to self or seriously interfere with the validity of the study results
• Inability/unlikely to be in the study area for the duration of the 28-day follow-up period
• Pregnant or lactating women
• Severe disease requiring parenteral treatment
• Currently receiving, or recently received (within the last 28 days) pyronaridine-artesunate or artemether-lumefantrine
• Received chloroquine in the last three days
• Inability/unlikely to be in the study area for the duration of the 42-day follow-up period
• Known hypersensitivity or specific contraindication to the use of any of the study drugs in the treatment arms
• Known chronic kidney disease (signs or symptoms of stage IV renal impairment or receiving dialysis)
• Known liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh Class B or greater) or signs or symptoms of severe hepatotoxicity