Chloroquine-resistant haplotype Plasmodium falciparum parasites, Haiti.
Plasmodium falciparum parasites have been endemic to Haiti for >40 years without evidence of chloroquine (CQ) resistance. In 2006 and 2007, we obtained blood smears for rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and filter paper blots of blood from 821 persons by passive and active case detection. P. falciparum infections diagnosed for 79 persons by blood smear or RDT were confirmed by PCR for the small subunit rRNA gene of P. falciparum. Amplification of the P. falciparum CQ resistance transporter (pfcrt) gene yielded 10 samples with amplicons resistant to cleavage by ApoI. A total of 5 of 9 samples had threonine at position 76 of pfcrt, which is consistent with CQ resistance (haplotypes at positions 72-76 were CVIET [n = 4] and CVMNT [n = 1]); 4 had only the wild-type haplotype associated with CQ susceptibility (CVMNK). These results indicate that CQ-resistant haplotype P. falciparum malaria parasites are present in Haiti.
Londono
Berlin L
BL
Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Eisele
Thomas P
TP
Keating
Joseph
J
Bennett
Adam
A
Chattopadhyay
Chandon
C
Heyliger
Gaetan
G
Mack
Brian
B
Rawson
Ian
I
Vely
Jean-Francois
JF
Désinor
Olbeg
O
Krogstad
Donald J
DJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
D000962:Antimalarials; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C416369:PfCRT protein, Plasmodium falciparum; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D002738:Chloroquine