Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase and dihyropteroate synthase mutations and the use of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis among persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2010 May;82(5):766-71. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2010.08-0408.

Abstract

A prospective cohort design was used to measure the association between daily cotrimoxazole-prophylaxis and infection with Plasmodium falciparum containing mutations associated with antifolate resistance among persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Tororo and Busia District, in eastern Uganda. Of 149 cases of P. falciparum parasitemia diagnosed, 147 (99%) (smears from participants taking prophylaxis = 91 and smears from those not taking cotrimoxazole prophylaxis = 56) were successfully assessed for mutations in the dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) and dihydropteroate synthase (dhps) mutations associated with antifolate resistance. Prevalences of the dhfr pure triple mutant (74% and 70%; P = 0.71), the dhps pure double mutant (95% and 88%; P = 0.21), and the dhfr/dhps pure quintuple mutant (73% and 64%; P = 0.36), were not significantly different between those taking and those not taking cotrimoxazole-prophylaxis, respectively. The overall prevalence of the pure quintuple mutant in this study was 69%, which is among the highest in Africa. Although resistance rates of P. falciparum to antifolate drugs are high, cotrimoxazole-prophylaxis in HIV-infected persons was not associated with a higher prevalence of mutations associated with antifolate resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Antimalarials / administration & dosage
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cohort Studies
  • Dihydropteroate Synthase / genetics*
  • Dihydropteroate Synthase / metabolism
  • Drug Resistance / genetics
  • Female
  • Folic Acid / pharmacology
  • Folic Acid Antagonists / pharmacology
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Falciparum / epidemiology
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology
  • Malaria, Falciparum / prevention & control*
  • Male
  • Mutation
  • Plasmodium falciparum / drug effects
  • Plasmodium falciparum / enzymology*
  • Plasmodium falciparum / genetics
  • Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase / genetics*
  • Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase / metabolism
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / administration & dosage
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / therapeutic use
  • Uganda / epidemiology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Folic Acid Antagonists
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination
  • Folic Acid
  • Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase
  • Dihydropteroate Synthase