Prevalence and patterns of antifolate and chloroquine drug resistance markers in Plasmodium vivax across Pakistan.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Plasmodium vivax is the most prevalent malaria species in Pakistan, with a distribution that coincides with Plasmodium falciparum in many parts of the country. Both species are likely exposed to drug pressure from a number of anti-malarials including chloroquine, sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), and artemisinin combination therapy, yet little is known regarding the effects of drug pressure on parasite genes associated with drug resistance. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of polymorphisms in the SP resistance-associated genes pvdhfr, pvdhps and chloroquine resistance-associated gene pvmdr1 in P. vivax isolates collected from across the country.

Methods

In 2011, 801 microscopically confirmed malaria-parasite positive filter paper blood sample

SUBMITTER: Khattak AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3766695 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature