title: Lack of artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum in northwest Benin after 10 years of use of artemisinin-based combination therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In Benin, artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) has been recommended as the first-line treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria since 2004. The emergence in Southeast Asia of parasites that are resistant to artemisinins poses a serious threat to global control of this disease. The presence of artemisinin resistance genotypes in parasite populations in Benin is currently unknown. The present study investigated the prevalence of relevant K13-propeller gene polymorphisms in parasite isolates from the north-western region of Benin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasmodium falciparum isolates were collected from children with a confirmed diagnosis of malaria aged 6 months to 5 years in two towns, Cobly and Djougou, in the north-western part of Benin. The study was conducted during the rainy season from July to November 2014 in local health facilities. The K13-propeller gene was amplified in parasite isolates using nested PCR and subsequently sequenced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 108 children were recruited into the study. The efficiency of amplification reactions was 72% (78/108). The propeller domain of the K13 gene was successfully sequenced in 78 P. falciparum isolates; all of them were wild type with no polymorphisms detectable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The absence of mutations in the K13 gene indicates that P. falciparum parasite populations in the study area are still fully susceptible to artemisinins.
authors.affiliation: Unité d'Enseignement et de Recherche en Parasitologie - Mycologie/Faculté des Sciences de la Santé; 01 BP 188 Cotonou, Bénin - Laboratoire du centre de lutte intégrée contre le paludisme; 01 BP 188 Cotonou, Bénin.
authors.forename: Aurore
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogouyèmi-Hounto
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement. UMR 224-MIVEGEC; 08 BP 841 Cotonou, Bénin.
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Damien
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology Mycology, Aristide le Dantec Hospital, BP 16477 Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Awa Bineta
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Deme
authors.affiliation: UMR 216 MERIT-IRD Parasitology Department Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG581 Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Nicaise T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Ndam
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement. UMR 224-MIVEGEC; 08 BP 841 Cotonou, Bénin.
authors.forename: Constance
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Assohou
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire du centre de lutte intégrée contre le paludisme; 01 BP 188 Cotonou, Bénin.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tchonlin
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire du centre de lutte intégrée contre le paludisme; 01 BP 188 Cotonou, Bénin.
authors.forename: Atika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mama
authors.affiliation: Centre de santé de la Commune de Djougou, 02 BP 681 Porto Novo, Benin.
authors.forename: Virgile Olivier
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Hounkpe
authors.affiliation: Centre de santé de la Commune de Cobly, BP 40 Tanguiéta, Bénin.
authors.forename: Jules Doumitou
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Moutouama
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement. UMR 224-MIVEGEC; 08 BP 841 Cotonou, Bénin.
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Remoué
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology Mycology, Aristide le Dantec Hospital, BP 16477 Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Daouda
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ndiaye
authors.affiliation: Unité d'Enseignement et de Recherche en Parasitologie - Mycologie/Faculté des Sciences de la Santé; 01 BP 188 Cotonou, Bénin - Laboratoire du centre de lutte intégrée contre le paludisme; 01 BP 188 Cotonou, Bénin.
authors.forename: Dorothée Kinde
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Gazard
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077611:Artemether, Lumefantrine Drug Combination; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001541:Benin; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000962:Antimalarials; D000077611:Artemether, Lumefantrine Drug Combination; D037621:Artemisinins; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004983:Ethanolamines; D005449:Fluorenes; C031327:artemisinin