title: Molecular and biological diagnostic tests for monitoring benzimidazole resistance in human soil-transmitted helminths.
abstract: In endemic countries with soil-transmitted helminths mass drug administration with albendazole or mebendazole are being implemented as a control strategy. However, it is well known in veterinary helminths that the use of the same benzimidazole drugs can place selection on the β-tubulin gene, leading to resistance. Given the concern that resistance could arise in human soil-transmitted helminths, there is an urgent need to develop accurate diagnostic tools for monitoring resistance. In this study, we developed molecular assays to detect putative resistance genetic changes in Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworms, and we optimized an egg hatch assay for the canine hookworm Ancylostoma caninum and applied it to Necator americanus. Both assays were tested on field samples. The molecular assays demonstrated their reproducibility and capacity to detect the presence of worms carrying putative resistance-associated genetic changes. However, further investigations are needed to validate our molecular and biological tests on additional field isolates.
authors: Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Canada. aissatou.diawara@mail.mcgill.ca
authors: Aïssatou
authors: A
authors: Diawara
authors: Jan M
authors: JM
authors: Schwenkenbecher
authors: Ray M
authors: RM
authors: Kaplan
authors: Roger K
authors: RK
authors: Prichard
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000722:Ancylostoma / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D000723:Ancylostomatoidea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000494:pharmacology; D017164:Ascaris lumbricoides / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004285:Dogs / Q000469:parasitology; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D006376:Helminths / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D017221:Necator americanus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014258:Trichuris / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D018509:DNA, Helminth; D014404:Tubulin; C031000:benzimidazole; D015766:Albendazole