Drug resistance associated genetic polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax collected in Honduras, Central America

• Published in: Malaria Journal
• Main Authors: Jovel Irina T, Mejía Rosa E, Banegas Engels, Piedade Rita, Alger Jackeline, Fontecha Gustavo, Ferreira Pedro E, Veiga Maria I, Enamorado Irma G, Bjorkman Anders, Ursing Johan
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2011
• Subjects: Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium vivax; Chloroquine; Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine; Single nucleotide polymorphisms and drug resistance; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic; Pacific
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-10-376; https://doaj.org/article/bcb9429b598e4c6f98f920d933099122

Abstract Background In Honduras, chloroquine and primaquine are recommended and still appear to be effective for treatment of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria. The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of resistance associated genetic polymorphisms in P. falciparum and P. vivax collected in Honduras. Methods Blood samples were collected from patients seeking medical attention at the Hospital Escuela in Tegucigalpa from 2004 to 2006 as well as three regional hospitals, two health centres and one regional laboratory during 2009. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter ( pfcrt ), multidrug resistance 1 ( pfmdr1 ), dihydrofolate reductase ( pfdhfr ) and dihydropteroate synthase ( pfdhps ) genes and in P. vivax multidrug resistance 1 ( pvmdr1 ) and dihydrofolate reductase ( pvdhfr ) genes were detected using PCR based methods. Results Thirty seven P. falciparum and 64 P. vivax samples were collected. All P. falciparum infections acquired in Honduras carried pfcrt , pfmdr1, pfdhps and pfdhfr alleles associated with chloroquine, amodiaquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine sensitivity only. One patient with parasites acquired on a Pacific Island had pfcrt 76 T and pfmdr1 86Y alleles. That patient and a patient infected in West Africa had pfdhfr 51I, 59 R and 108 N alleles. Pvmdr1 976 F was found in 7/37 and two copies of pvmdr1 were found in 1/37 samples. Pvdhfr 57 L + 58 R was observed in 2/57 samples. Conclusion The results indicate that P. falciparum from Honduras remain sensitive to chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine. This suggests that chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine should be efficacious for treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria, supporting current national treatment guidelines. However, genetic polymorphisms associated with chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine tolerance were detected in local P. vivax and imported P. falciparum infections. Continuous monitoring of the prevalence of drug resistant/tolerant ...