Antifolate resistance in Africa and the 164-dollar question.
The spread of Plasmodium falciparum carrying a quadruply mutated dhfr gene to Africa has been widely predicted to have profoundly adverse consequences, as such parasites in vitro are highly resistant to antifolate inhibitiors, still a mainstay of antimalarial drug regimes in this region. Studies of parasites from Southeast Asia demonstrate a strong connection between the I164L-bearing quadruple mutant form and failure of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) treatment. However, a recent study reported in this issue of Transactions documents the low-level incidence in an area of Kenya of quadruply mutant parasites which, in the majority of cases, appear to have been cleared by a standard SP treatment regime, contrary to expectations.
Hyde
John E
JE
Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK. john.hyde@manchester.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D005493:Folic Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D013762:Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics
D000962:Antimalarials; D005493:Folic Acid Antagonists; D013762:Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase