A novel intron variant is associated with emerging pfdhps mutant haplotypes in West and Central African Plasmodium falciparum.

ABSTRACT: Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine plays a key role in Plasmodium falciparum chemoprevention across Africa, yet the protective efficacy of SP is undermined by mutations conferring resistance in the genes encoding dihydrofolate reductase (pfdhfr) and dihydropteroate synthase (pfdhps). The emergence and spread of the pfdhps 431V mutation suggests that this may confer resistance and be selected by drug use. Here, we report a non-coding mutation a548383t, which expands a di-nucleotide repeat in the first intron of pfpppk-dhps. The first intron and second exon of the pfdhps gene were analysed by target amplicon sequencing of 929 P. falciparum-positive blood samples from Nigeria, Cameroon, Tanzania, The Democratic Republic of Congo, and Côte d'Ivoire. The intron mutation was found in Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoi

SUBMITTER: Hocke EF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12410353 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature