Limited geographical origin and global spread of sulfadoxine-resistant dhps alleles in Plasmodium falciparum populations.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Plasmodium falciparum malaria resistant to chloroquine and pyrimethamine originated in limited foci and migrated to Africa. It remains unresolved whether P. falciparum resistance to sulfadoxine, which is conferred by mutations in dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS), evolved following a similar pattern.

Methods

The dhps locus of 893 P. falciparum isolates from 12 countries in Asia, the Pacific Islands, Africa, and South America was sequenced. Haplotypes of 6 microsatellite loci flanking the dhps locus were determined to define the genetic relationships among sulfadoxine-resistant lineages.

Results

Six distinct sulfadoxine-resistant lineages were identified. Highly resistant lineages appear to have originated only in Southeast Asia and South America. Two resistan

SUBMITTER: Mita T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3209816 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature