Prevalence of mutations associated with antimalarial drugs in Plasmodium falciparum isolates prior to the introduction of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine as first-line treatment in Iran

• Published in: Malaria Journal
• Main Authors: Djadid Navid, Raeisi Ahmad, Afsharpad Mandana, Zakeri Sedigheh
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2007
• Subjects: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-6-148; https://doaj.org/article/1163fee263954709bb9129e2b6a0e984

Abstract Background This work was carried out to assess the patterns and prevalence of resistance to chloroquine (CQ) and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) in Iran. Methods The prevalence of pfcrt K76T, pfmdr1 N86Y, pfdhfr N51I, C59R, S108N/T and I164L and codons S436F/A, A437G, K540E, A581E, and A613S/T in pfdhps genes were genotyped by PCR/RFLP methods in 206 Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Chabahar and Sarbaz districts in Sistan and Baluchistan province, Iran, during 2003–2005. Results All P. falciparum isolates carried the 108N, while 98.5% parasite isolates carried the 59R mutation. 98.5% of patients carried both 108N and 59R. The prevalence of pfdhps 437G mutation was 17% (Chabahar) and 33% (Sarbaz) isolates. 20.4% of samples presented the pfdhfr 108N, 59R with pfdhps 437G mutations. The frequency of allele pfcrt 76T was 98%, while 41.4% (Chabahar) and 27.7% (Sarbaz) isolates carried pfmdr1 86Y allele. Eight distinct haplotypes were identified in all 206 samples, while the most prevalent haplotype was T 76/ N 86/ N 51 R 59 N 108/ A 437 among both study areas. Conclusion Finding the fixed level of CQ resistance polymorphisms ( pfcrt 76T) suggests that CQ must be withdrawn from the current treatment strategy in Iran, while SP may remain the treatment of choice for uncomplicated malaria.