Laboratory analysis
MAY
At enrolment and at successive follow-up visits, thin and thick smears were obtained and stained with May Grünwald-Giemsa 10%. They were examined at the sites by dual reading to identify Microscopy: parasite densities were calculated by counting the number of asexual and sexual For quality control purposes, all slides obtained at enrolment and at successive follow-up visits for Mananjary and Farafangana were analyzed by microscopy practitioners at IPM using a procedure that was blinded to the original result. Microscopy was considered negative if no parasites were seen after observing 1000 leukocytes.