Background: The emergence of resistant parasites to artemisinin poses a threat to malaria treatment. The study aimed to investigate K13 gene mutations in Plasmodium falciparum artesunate (AS)/sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) efficacy study in Sudan.
Methods: A total of 31 (14 failures and 17 adequate clinical and parasitological response [ACPR]) pretreatment dried blood samples from patients with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria treated with AS/SP were examined. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing of the K13 gene was performed.
Results: PCR products were obtained from 30 (96.8%) samples and sequencing was successful in 28 (90.3%). No mutation of the K13 gene was recorded in the treatment failure group. A single mutation (C>T; A621V) in one ACPR patient sample was detected.
Conclusion: There is no evidence of K13 mutation among AS/SP treatment failure patients. A single mutation of the K13 gene not linked to treatment failure has been detected.
Keywords: K13 propeller gene; Plasmodium falciparum; Sudan; artesunate; sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine.
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