Lack of Artemisinin Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum in Uganda Based on Parasitological and Molecular Assays

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Aug;59(8):5061-4. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00921-15. Epub 2015 Jun 1.

Abstract

We evaluated markers of artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum isolated in Kampala in 2014. By standard in vitro assays, all isolates were highly sensitive to dihydroartemisinin (DHA). By the ring-stage survival assay, after a 6-h DHA pulse, parasitemia was undetectable in 40 of 43 cultures at 72 h. Two of 53 isolates had nonsynonymous K13-propeller gene polymorphisms but did not have the mutations associated with resistance in Asia. Thus, we did not see evidence for artemisinin resistance in Uganda.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Antimalarials / pharmacology*
  • Artemisinins / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Falciparum / drug therapy*
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Parasitemia / drug therapy*
  • Parasitic Sensitivity Tests
  • Plasmodium falciparum / drug effects*
  • Plasmodium falciparum / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics
  • Protozoan Proteins / genetics
  • Uganda

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Artemisinins
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • artenimol