title: Plasmodium falciparum K76T pfcrt Gene Mutations and Parasite Population Structure, Haiti, 2006-2009.
abstract: Hispaniola is the only Caribbean island to which Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains endemic. Resistance to the antimalarial drug chloroquine has rarely been reported in Haiti, which is located on Hispaniola, but the K76T pfcrt (P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter) gene mutation that confers chloroquine resistance has been detected intermittently. We analyzed 901 patient samples collected during 2006-2009 and found 2 samples showed possible mixed parasite infections of genetically chloroquine-resistant and -sensitive parasites. Direct sequencing of the pfcrt resistance locus and single-nucleotide polymorphism barcoding did not definitively identify a resistant population, suggesting that sustained propagation of chloroquine-resistant parasites was not occurring in Haiti during the study period. Comparison of parasites from Haiti with those from Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela reveals a geographically distinct population with highly related parasites. Our findings indicate low genetic diversity in the parasite population and low levels of chloroquine resistance in Haiti, raising the possibility that reported cases may be of exogenous origin.
authors.forename: Macarthur
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Charles
authors.forename: Sanchita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kirkman
authors.forename: Glavdia G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Delva
authors.forename: Rodney
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Destine
authors.forename: Ananias
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Escalante
authors.forename: Leopoldo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Villegas
authors.forename: Noah M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Kristi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shigyo
authors.forename: Sarah K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Volkman
authors.forename: Jean W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Pape
authors.forename: Linnie M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Golightly
mesh_terms: D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D005843:Geography; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history / Q000469:parasitology*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009154:Mutation; D058974:Phylogeography; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C416369:PfCRT protein, Plasmodium falciparum; D015800:Protozoan Proteins
keywords: CQR; CQS; Haiti; Hispaniola; Jeremie; K76T pfcrt; Les Cayes; Plasmodium falciparum; chloroquine; gene mutation; haplotype; malaria; parasites; vector-borne infections; vectorborne