Antimalarial Drug Resistance in Mali

Summary

Resistance of Plasmodium falciparum (malaria) to current antimalarial drugs and the continuing development of resistance to new antimalarial formulations is one of the major obstacles to effective malaria control and case management. Efficient, comprehensive and validated methods for monitoring drug resistance in advance of the development of resistance to the antimalarial drugs that are in use are urgently needed. Molecular markers of genetic polymorphisms that give rise to resistant P. falciparum parasites and methods in population genetics for evaluating the data can be valuable tools for monitoring drug resistance in the field. This study aims to: 1. Prospectively measure the in vivo response of P. falciparum malaria in Mali to several different antimalarial drugs and drug combinations: chloroquine (CQ), sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), amodiaquine (AQ), sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in combination with amodiaquine (SP/AQ), amodiaquine in combination with artesunate (AQ/AS), sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in combination with artesunate (SP/AS), and artemether-lumefantrine (Co-artem). In one site with preliminary data showing a high rate of P. falciparum resistance to mefloquine (MQ), this drug will also be tested. 2. Measure the frequencies of molecular markers for antimalarial drug resistance, and examine how those results relate to the efficacy of these drugs in treating clinical malaria 3. Measure drug levels at 3 days and correlate with efficacy results. 4. Examine early clinical, parasitologic, and clinical predictors of late treatment failure. 5. Use the knowledge gained in Aims 1-3 to develop a molecular tool for a countrywide resistance surveillance system for antimalarial drugs.

Timeline

Start

2005-07

Primary completion

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Completion

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Publications

• Background WHO. Assessment and Monitoring of Antimalarial Drug Efficacy for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Falciparum Malaria. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2003
• Background Plowe CV. Monitoring antimalarial drug resistance: making the most of the tools at hand. J Exp Biol. 2003 Nov;206(Pt 21):3745-52. doi: 10.1242/jeb.00658.
• Background Wernsdorfer WH, Noedl H. Molecular markers for drug resistance in malaria: use in treatment, diagnosis and epidemiology. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2003 Dec;16(6):553-8. doi: 10.1097/00001432-200312000-00007.
• Background Djimde A, Doumbo OK, Steketee RW, Plowe CV. Application of a molecular marker for surveillance of chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria. Lancet. 2001 Sep 15;358(9285):890-1. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(01)06040-8. No abstract available.
• Background Djimde A, Doumbo OK, Cortese JF, Kayentao K, Doumbo S, Diourte Y, Coulibaly D, Dicko A, Su XZ, Nomura T, Fidock DA, Wellems TE, Plowe CV. A molecular marker for chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria. N Engl J Med. 2001 Jan 25;344(4):257-63. doi: 10.1056/NEJM200101253440403.

Drugs

Indications