Parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay for the determination of antimalarial drug susceptibility of Kenyan field isolates.
BACKGROUND
Researchers have reported that parasite lactate dehydrogenase p(LDH) could be used to determine chemo-sensitivity of plasmodia to compounds with known or presumed antimalarial activities.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the drug sensitivity profiles of field adopted malaria isolates from Kisumu using p(LDH) instead of hapoxanthine assay.


METHODS
Prospective field and laboratory study.


METHODS
Walter Reed, KEMRI malaria laboratory (Nairobi) and Kisumu District Hospital.


METHODS
Twelve field laboratory adopted isolates from Kisumu, five laboratory adopted isolates from other regions in Africa and three reference strains from Walter Reed army Institute of Research, Washington, DC.


RESULTS
The p(LDH) enzyme assay was successfully used to measure the IC50 of six antimalarial drugs, chloroquine, quinine, mefloquine, dehydroartemisinin, atovaquone and halofantrine but was not successful with the four other antimalarial drugs, doxycycline, azithromycin, pyrimethamine and sulphadoxine. The Kisumu isolates tested were resistant to chloroquine and mefloquine but sensitive to quinine and the new antimalarial drugs, atovaquone, halofantrine and dehydroartemisinin.


CONCLUSIONS
The non-radioactive p(LDH) can be used for the determination of drug sensitivity to Kenyan field isolates. It is more suited for use in a resource limited environment and may lead to more judicious prescription of new and more expensive antimalarial drugs and mitigate against the rapid spread of multi-drug resistant parasites in the East African region.
Odhiambo
R A O
RA
Zoology Department, Egerton University, P. O. Box 536, Njoro, Kenya.
Odulaja
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D004351:Drug Resistance; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007630:Kenya; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000962:Antimalarials; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase