Shankar AH, Genton B, Baisor M, et al. The influence of zinc supplementation on morbidity due to Plasmodium falciparum: a randomized trial in preschool children in Papua New Guinea. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2000; 62: 663–69.
A trial in Papua New Guinea reported that zinc supplementation significantly reduced the frequency of clinic visits for malaria associated with P falciparum and noted greatest effectiveness of zinc in ill children with high-density parasitemia. Zinc supplementation resulted in a 38% (95% CI 3–60, P _ 0.037) reduction in Plasmodium falciparum health center-based episodes, defined as parasitemia > 9200 parasites/µl with axial temperature > 37.5C or reported fever. Episodes accompanied by any parasitemia were also reduced by 38% (95% CI 5–60, P = 0.028), and episodes with parasitemia > 100,000/µl were reduced by 69% (95% CI 25–87, P = 0.009).
Bates CJ, Evans PH, Dardenne M, et al. A trial of zinc supplementation in young rural Gambian children. Br J Nutr 1993; 69: 243–55.
An earlier study in the Gambia had also reported a non-significant reduction in malaria clinic visits in the zinc-supplemented group compared with the placebo group (p=0·07).10
Kikafunda JK, Walker AF, Allan EF, Tumwine JK. Effect of zinc supplementation on growth and body composition of Ugandan preschool children: a randomized, controlled, intervention trial. Am J Clin Nutr 1998; 68: 1261–66.
In Uganda, zinc-supplemented children had nonsignificantly fewer infections (82% of which were malaria) than children given placebo.21
Muller O, Becher H, Van Zweeden AB, et al. Effect of zinc supplementation on malaria and other causes of morbidity in west African children: randomised double blind placebo controlled trial.
BMJ 2001; 322: 1567.
In Burkina Faso, zinc supplementation had no effect on childhood malaria morbidity diagnosed at home visits. Although there was no effect on malaria morbidity, a 59% lower relative mortality in the zinc group was seen, and zinc supplementation was significantly associated with a reduced prevalence of diarrhea (0.87, 0.79 to 0.95).
Zeba AN, Sorgho H, Rouamba N, et al 2008. Major reduction of malaria morbidity with combined vitamin A and zinc supplementation in young children in Burkina Faso: a randomized double blind trial. Nutrition Journal; 7:7
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a single dose of 200 000 IU of vitamin A with daily zinc supplementation was done in children of Sourkoudougou village, Burkina Faso. Children aged from 6 to 72 months were randomized to receive a single dose of 200 000 IU of vitamin A plus 10 mg elemental zinc, six days a week (n = 74) or placebo (n = 74) for a period of six months. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted at the beginning and the end of the study, and children were evaluated daily for fever. Microscopic examination of blood smear was done in the case of fever (temperature ≥37.5°C) for malaria parasite detection. At the end of the study there was a significant decrease in the prevalence of malaria in the supplemented group (34%) compared to the placebo group (3.5%) (p < 0.001). Malaria episodes were lower in the supplemented group (p = 0.029), with a 30.2% reduction of malaria cases (p = 0.025). Time to first malaria episode was longer in the supplemented group (p = 0.015). The supplemented group also had 22% fewer fever episodes than the placebo group (p = 0.030).