Skip to main content
Log in

Molecular surveillance of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in two distinct geographical areas of Nigeria

Analyse von Therapie-resistenten Malariaerregern in zwei Regionen Nigerias

  • Original article
  • Published:
Wiener klinische Wochenschrift Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Zusammenfassung

Die Entwicklung von therapie-resistenter Plasmodium falciparum-Malaria ist seit langem als Haupthindernis zur Bekämpfung von Mortalität und Morbidität erkannt. Wir haben daher die Verbreitung von Genveränderungen, die mit der Resistenz gegen Chloroquine und Pyrimethamin assoziiert sind, in P. falciparum-Isolaten aus zwei geographisch distinkten Gegenden in Nigeria untersucht. Mit Hilfe von RT-PCR und DNA-Sequenzierung wurde die Prävalenz dieser Mutationen bestimmt. Die Prävalenz der pfcrt T76-Mutation in den beiden Gegenden war 92.3 % gegen 86 % in Osogbo verglichen mit 93 % in Lafia (P = 0.4453). Sequenzanalyse des pfcrt Haplotyps (Aminosäuren 72–76) ergab CVIET als einzigen resistenten Haplotyp an beiden Orten. Die Häufigkeit von pfmdr1-Polymorphismen war höher in Lafia (39 %) als in Osogbo (35 %); die kombinierte Prävalenz in beiden Orten war 45.5 % (P = 0.6604). Die Prävalenz der pfdhfr-Triplemutante war hoch in beiden Gegenden: in Osogbo 84 % gegenüber 91 % in Lafia für I51, sowie 88 % gegen 87 % und 96 % gegen 96 % für die R59 and N108 Mutationen. Die kombinierte Prävalenz von pfcrt- und pfmdr1–Mutationen in Osogbo und Lafia war 44.2 % mit einem Risiko von 0.4164; die kombinierte Prävalenz aller Genveränderungen in pfcrt, pfmdr1 and pfdhfr war 40.4 % mit einem Risiko von 1.081. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen die weite Verbreitung der Resistenz gegen Chloroquin und Pyrimethamin in beiden untersuchten Regionen.

Summary

Drug resistance against P. falciparum has been recognized as the crucial obstacle to curbing mortality and morbidity from malaria. We therefore determined the baseline distribution of pfcrt and pfmdr1 genes associated with resistance to chloroquine and pfdhfr gene associated with resistance to pyrimethamine in P. falciparum isolates collected from two geographically distinct areas of Nigeria. We use RT-PCR assays and sequencing to determine the prevalence of these mutations. The combined prevalence of pfcrt T76 mutation in the two sites was 92.3% with 86% from Osogbo compared to 93% from Lafia. Sequencing analysis of the (Pfcrt) K76T haplotype (amino acids 72–76) revealed CVIET as the only resistance haplotype present in the two areas. The frequency of pfmdr1 polymorphisms was higher in Lafia (39%) compared to that in Osogbo (35%) and the combined prevalence from the two sites was 45.5%. The prevalence of the pfdhfr triple mutant alleles was high in both locations. The Osogbo vs Lafia prevalence for pfdhfr mutations was 84% vs 91%, 88% vs 87% and 96% vs 96% for I51, R59 and N108, respectively. None of the samples from the two locations had the T108 mutation. The combined prevalence of pfcrt and pfmdr1 in Osogbo and Lafia was 44.2% with a risk ratio of 0.4164 while the combined prevalence of pfcrt, pfmdr1 and pfdhfr was 40.4% with a risk ratio of 1.081. These results strongly suggest the widespread distribution of CQ and pyrimethamine resistance without any marked distinction between the two locations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Reference

  • WHO (2005) World Malaria Report. Geneva

  • FMOH (2005) Federal Republic of Nigeria National antimalarial treatment policy. Abuja: Federal Ministry of Health

  • Talisuna AO, Bloland P, D'Alessandro U. History, dynamics, and public health importance of malaria parasite resistance. Clin Microbiol Rev 2004;17:235–54

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fidock DA, Nomura T, Talley AK, Cooper RA, Dzekunov SM, et al. Mutations in the P. falciparum digestive vacuole transmembrane protein PfCRT and evidence for their role in chloroquine resistance. Mol Cell 2000;6:861–71

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sidhu AB, Verdier-Pinard D, Fidock DA. Chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites conferred by pfcrt mutations. Science 2002;298:210–3

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reed MB, Saliba KJ, Caruana SR, Kirk K, Cowman AF. Pgh1 modulates sensitivity and resistance to multiple antimalarials in Plasmodium falciparum. Nature 2000;403:906–9

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chen N, Kyle DE, Pasay C, Fowler EV, Baker J, et al. pfcrt Allelic types with two novel amino acid mutations in chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum isolates from the Philippines. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2003;47:3500–05

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Durrand V, Berry A, Sem R, Glaziou P, Beaudou J, et al. Variations in the sequence and expression of the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (Pfcrt) and their relationship to chloroquine resistance in vitro. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2004;136:273–85

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mehlotra RK, Fujioka H, Roepe PD, Janneh O, Ursos LM, et al. Evolution of a unique Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-resistance phenotype in association with pfcrt polymorphism in Papua New Guinea and South America. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2001;98:12689–94

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keen J, Farcas GA, Zhong K, Yohanna S, Dunne MW, et al. Real-time PCR assay for rapid detection and analysis of PfCRT haplotypes of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum isolates from India. J Clin Microbiol 2007;45:2889–93

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Price RN, Cassar C, Brockman A, Duraisingh M, van Vugt M, et al. The pfmdr1 gene is associated with a multidrug-resistant phenotype in Plasmodium falciparum from the western border of Thailand. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1999;43:2943–49

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duraisingh MT, Jones P, Sambou I, von Seidlein L, Pinder M, et al. The tyrosine-86 allele of the pfmdr1 gene of Plasmodium falciparum is associated with increased sensitivity to the anti-malarials mefloquine and artemisinin. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2000;108:13–23

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Plowe CV, Roper C, Barnwell JW, Happi CT, Joshi HH, et al. World Antimalarial Resistance Network (WARN) III: molecular markers for drug resistant malaria. Malar J 2007;6:121–30

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks DR, Wang P, Read M, Watkins WM, Sims PF, et al. Sequence variation of the hydroxymethyldihydropterin pyrophosphokinase: dihydropteroate synthase gene in lines of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, with differing resistance to sulfadoxine. Eur J Biochem 1994;224:397–405

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Basco LK. Molecular epidemiology of malaria in Cameroon. XII. In vitro drug assays and molecular surveillance of chloroquine and proguanil resistance. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2002;67:383–7

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ojurongbe O, Ogungbamigbe TO, Fagbenro-Beyioku AF, Fendel R, Kremsner PG, et al. Rapid detection of Pfcrt and Pfmdr1 mutations in Plasmodium falciparum isolates by FRET and in vivo response to chloroquine among children from Osogbo, Nigeria. Malar J 2007;6:41–8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ogungbamigbe TO, Ojurongbe O, Ogunro PS, Okanlawon BM, Kolawole SO Chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Osogbo Nigeria: efficacy of amodiaquine + sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and chloroquine + chlorpheniramine for treatment. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2008;103:79–84

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bruce-Chwatt LJ. Malaria in Nigeria. Bull World Health Organ 1951;4:301–27

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duraisingh MT, Cowman AF. Contribution of the pfmdr1 gene to antimalarial drug-resistance. Acta Trop 2005;94:181–90

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duraisingh MT, Roper C, Walliker D, Warhurst DC. Increased sensitivity to the antimalarials mefloquine and artemisinin is conferred by mutations in the pfmdr1 gene of Plasmodium falciparum. Mol Microbiol 2000;36:955–61

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sisowath C, Stromberg J, Martensson A, Msellem M, Obondo C, et al. In vivo selection of Plasmodium falciparum pfmdr1 86N coding alleles by artemether-lumefantrine (Coartem). J Infect Dis 2005;191:1014–7

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hastings I, Ward S. Coartem (artemether-lumefantrine) in Africa: the beginning of the end? J Infect Dis 2005;192:1290–3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Price RN, Uhlemann AC, van Vugt M, Brockman A, Hutagalung R, et al. Molecular and pharmacological determinants of the therapeutic response to artemether-lumefantrine in multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Clin Infect Dis 2006;42:1570–7

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Uhlemann AC, McGready R, Ashley EA, Brockman A, Singhasivanon P, et al. Intrahost selection of Plasmodium falciparum pfmdr1 alleles after antimalarial treatment on the northwestern border of Thailand. J Infect Dis 2007;195:134–41

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alker A, Lim P, Sem R, Shah N, Yi P, et al. Pfmdr1 and in vivo resistance to artesunate-mefloquine in falciparum malaria on the Cambodian-Thai border. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2007;76:641–7

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Falade CO, Salako LA, Sowunmi A, Oduola AM, Larcier P. Comparative efficacy of halofantrine, chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Nigerian children. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1997;91:58–62

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Happi CT, Gbotosho GO, Folarin OA, Akinboye DO, Yusuf BO, et al. Polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum dhfr and dhps genes and age related in vivo sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance in malaria-infected patients from Nigeria. Acta Trop 2005;95:183–93

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bates SJ, Winstanley PA, Watkins WM, Alloueche A, Bwika J, et al. Rare, highly pyrimethamine-resistant alleles of the Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase gene from 5 African sites. J Infect Dis 2004;190:1783–92

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Basco LK. Molecular epidemiology of malaria in Cameroon. XIII. Analysis of pfcrt mutations and in vitro chloroquine resistance. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2002;67:388–91

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Binder RK, Borrmann S, Adegnika AA, Missinou MA, Kremsner PG, et al. Polymorphisms in the parasite genes for pfcrt and pfmdr-1 as molecular markers for chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum in Lambarene, Gabon. Parasitol Res 2002;88:475–6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson PE, Kazadi W, Kamwendo DD, Mwapasa V, Purfield A, et al. Prevalence of pfcrt mutations in Congolese and Malawian Plasmodium falciparum isolates as determined by a new Taqman assay. Acta Trop 2005;93:97–106

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Happi CT, Gbotosho GO, Folarin OA, Bolaji OM, Sowunmi A, et al. Association between mutations in Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter and P. falciparum multidrug resistance 1 genes and in vivo amodiaquine resistance in P. falciparum malaria-infected children in Nigeria. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2006;75:155–61

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alifrangis M, Dalgaard MB, Lusingu JP, Vestergaard LS, Staalsoe T, et al. Occurrence of the Southeast Asian/South American SVMNT haplotype of the chloroquine-resistance transporter gene in Plasmodium falciparum in Tanzania. J Infect Dis 2006;193:1738–41

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mittra P, Vinayak S, Chandawat H, Das MK, Singh N, et al. Progressive increase in point mutations associated with chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from India. J Infect Dis 2006;193:1304–12

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • FMOH (2005) National guidelines and strategies for malaria prevention and control during pregnancy. A publication of the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria; Malaria Control Programme Abuja: FMOH

  • White NJ. Antimalarial drug resistance. J Clin Invest 2004;113:1084–92

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jürgen F. Kun.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ojurongbe, O., Oyedeji, S., Oyibo, W. et al. Molecular surveillance of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in two distinct geographical areas of Nigeria. Wien Klin Wochenschr 122, 681–685 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-010-1484-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-010-1484-0

Keywords

Navigation