Plasmodium falciparum isolates with increased pfmdr1 copy number circulate in West Africa

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2010 Jul;54(7):3049-51. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00209-10. Epub 2010 Apr 19.

Abstract

Amplification of pfmdr1 in Plasmodium falciparum is linked to resistance to aryl-amino-alcohols and in reduced susceptibility to artemisinins. We demonstrate here that duplicated pfmdr1 genotypes circulate in West Africa. The monitoring of this prevalence in Africa appears essential for determining the antimalarial policy and to maintain the efficiency of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for as long as possible.

MeSH terms

  • Africa
  • Animals
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use
  • Artemisinins / therapeutic use
  • Gene Dosage
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Falciparum / drug therapy
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology
  • Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins / genetics*
  • Plasmodium falciparum / drug effects*
  • Plasmodium falciparum / genetics*
  • Plasmodium falciparum / pathogenicity

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Artemisinins
  • Mdr1 protein, Plasmodium falciparum
  • Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins