title: Antimalarial drug response of Plasmodium falciparum from Zaria, Nigeria.
abstract: The sensitivity of Zaria strains of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine, mefloquine, quinine and sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine was investigated 5 years after the appearance of in vivo/in vitro chloroquine resistance in urban Zaria. Infections in 36/43 children (83.7%) treated with chloroquine were sensitive while those in 7 (16.3%) were resistant. 8/13 isolates cultured (61.5%) were sensitive in vitro to chloroquine and 5 (38.5%) were resistant. Of the cultured isolates, 13/13 (100%), 12/13 (92.3%) and 5/7 (71.4%) showed mefloquine, quinine and sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine sensitivity, respectively. The results confirmed chloroquine and sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine resistance in urban Zaria and revealed emerging quinine resistance. Resistance to chloroquine and sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine is at RI level and chloroquine should continue to be the first-line drug for the treatment and prevention of P. falciparum infection in the Zaria area of northern Nigeria. We suggest that, while quinine serves as second-line drug, mefloquine should be reserved for infections resistant to chloroquine, quinine and sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Adagu
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Warhurst
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Ogala
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abdu-Aguye
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Audu
authors.forename: F O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Bamgbola
authors.forename: U B
authors.initials: UB
authors.lastname: Ovwigho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004351:Drug Resistance; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015767:Mefloquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009549:Nigeria; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011803:Quinine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D002738:Chloroquine; D011803:Quinine; D015767:Mefloquine; D011739:Pyrimethamine