Adaptation of a Thai multidrug-resistant C2A clone of Plasmodium falciparum to Aotus monkeys and its preliminary in vivo antimalarial drug efficacy-resistance profile

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2009 Oct;81(4):587-94. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2009.08-0445.

Abstract

A multidrug-resistant (MDR) clone of Plasmodium falciparum (C2A) from Thailand was adapted through serial passage to Aotus monkeys. During adaptation, the parasite showed resistance to a single 20 or 40 mg/kg oral dose of mefloquine (MQ). Infection was only cured when MQ was administered orally at 40 mg/kg once in combination with intravenous artesunic acid at 20 mg/kg for 3 days. Similarly, the parasite clone was found to be resistant to quinine, failing at 20 mg/kg orally for 5 days in combination with an experimental dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibitor (WR297608) at 10, 20, or 40 mg/kg orally for 3 days, and with atovaquone/proguanil at 25 mg/kg for 3 days. This new model will allow in vivo testing of new antimalarial compounds or their combinations against a currently circulating MDR P. falciparum strain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological
  • Animals
  • Antimalarials / pharmacology*
  • Aotidae
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple
  • Female
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology
  • Male
  • Parasitemia
  • Plasmodium falciparum / drug effects*
  • Plasmodium falciparum / physiology*
  • Thailand
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antimalarials