Abstract
Recrudescent Plasmodium falciparum parasites were sampled from 108 children taking part in a drug efficacy trial in Gabon. A finger-prick blood sample was taken from each child before treatment, and a post-treatment sample taken of the recrudescent parasites. Sample deoxyribonucleic acid was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction using primers specific to the P. falciparum antigen genes MSP-1, MSP-2 and GLURP. Seventy-seven children had identical parasites in their pre- and post-treatment samples, indicating genuine recrudescences of resistant parasites. Fourteen children had completely different parasites in their pre- and post-treatment samples, indicating either a fresh infection from a mosquito or growth of a population of parasites not detected in the pre-treatment sample, perhaps due to sequestration. The remaining 17 children had a mixture of pre-treatment and new parasites in their post-treatment samples. This study demonstrated the use of polymorphic markers to confirm whether parasites in patients with clinical recrudescences after drug treatment are genuinely resistant.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 719-724 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene |
Volume | 91 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1997 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Drug resistance
- Genotypes
- Malaria
- Plasmodium falciparum
- Polymerase chain reaction
- Recrudescence
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Parasitology
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Infectious Diseases