title: Effects of artesunate treatment on Plasmodium gallinaceum transmission in the vectors Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus.
abstract: In the absence of vaccines, chemotherapy is an effective and economical way for controlling malaria. Development of anti-malarial drugs that target pathogenic blood stage parasites and gametocytes is preferable for the treatment as it can alleviate the host's morbidity and mortality and block transmission of the Plasmodium parasite. Recently, our laboratory has developed an in vivo transmission blocking assay that involves administration of 7 consecutive daily doses of a test compound into domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) infected with the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium gallinaceum with 10% parasitaemia and 1% gametocytaemia. To compromise the cost and time for artesunate (ATN) treatment, this study aimed to investigate effects of a 5-day consecutive administration of 10 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) ATN on P. gallinaceum infection in chickens and transmission to two natural vectors, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. Our study showed that the treatment with 10 mg/kg ATN for 7 days, but not 5 days, completely eliminated blood stage infections, prevented recrudescence and blocked gametocyte production and transmission of P. gallinaceum to its vectors, thereby confirming the potent schizontocidal and gametocytocidal activities of ATN. This regimen should be further evaluated in field trials.
authors.affiliation: Program in Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand.
authors.forename: Mintra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pruck-Ngern
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sittiporn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pattaradilokrat
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand.
authors.forename: Kamlang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chumpolbanchorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400 Thailand.
authors.forename: Suntorn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pimnon
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
authors.forename: Somphong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Narkpinit
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Pongchai
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harnyuttanakorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400 Thailand.
authors.forename: Prayute
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buddhirakkul
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400 Thailand. Electronic address: tawee.sai@mahidol.ac.th.
authors.forename: Tawee
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saiwichai
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077332:Artesunate; D002645:Chickens / Q000469:parasitology*; D003465:Culex / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D008289:Malaria, Avian / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission*; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000662:veterinary; D010964:Plasmodium gallinaceum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate
keywords: Artesunate; Avian malaria; Gametocytocidal action; Transmission; Vectors