Return of widespread chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum to Malawi.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The return of chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum to the limited area of Blantyre, Malawi, has been well demonstrated in several studies.

METHODS:

To characterize chloroquine susceptibility over a wide geographic area, infants and children aged 6-59 months were selected using 2-stage cluster sampling in 8 Malawian districts. Pyrosequencing of the pfcrt gene codon 76 region was performed for children with asexual parasitemia.

RESULTS:

Of 7145 children, 1150 had microscopic asexual parasitemia, and sequencing was performed in 685, of whom 1 had a chloroquine-resistant genotype.

CONCLUSIONS:

Systematic countrywide sampling demonstrates that the chloroquine pfcrt genotype has reached near-fixation, raising the possibility of reintroducing chloroquine for malaria prevention and treatment.

• Authors: Anne E P Frosch, Miriam K Laufer, Don P Mathanga, Shannon Takala-Harrison, Jacek Skarbinski, Cassidy W Claassen, Fraction K Dzinjalamala, Christopher V Plowe
• Journal: The Journal of infectious diseases (J Infect Dis) Vol. 210 Issue 7 Pg. 1110-4 (Oct 01 2014) ISSN: 1537-6613 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24723474 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)
• Copyright: © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].

Chemical References

• Antimalarials
• Membrane Transport Proteins
• PfCRT protein, Plasmodium falciparum
• Protozoan Proteins
• Chloroquine

Topics

• Antimalarials (pharmacology)
• Child, Preschool
• Chloroquine (pharmacology)
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Genotype
• Genotyping Techniques
• Humans
• Infant
• Malaria, Falciparum (epidemiology, parasitology)
• Malawi
• Male
• Membrane Transport Proteins (genetics)
• Parasitic Sensitivity Tests
• Plasmodium falciparum (drug effects, genetics, isolation & purification)
• Protozoan Proteins (genetics)
• Sequence Analysis, DNA