Slow Clearance of Plasmodium falciparum in Severe Pediatric Malaria, Uganda, 2011-2013

Emerg Infect Dis. 2015 Jul;21(7):1237-9. doi: 10.3201/eid2107.150213.

Abstract

Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin derivatives is emerging in Asia. We examined molecular markers of resistance in 78 children in Uganda who had severe malaria and were treated with intravenous artesunate. We observed in the K13-propeller domain, A578S, a low-frequency (3/78), nonsynonymous, single-nucleotide polymorphism associated with prolonged parasite clearance.

Keywords: Plasmodium falciparum; Uganda; artesunate; child; kelch 13 propeller domain; malaria; parasites; resistance; single nucleotide polymorphism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antimalarials / pharmacology*
  • Antimalarials / therapeutic use
  • Artemisinins / pharmacology*
  • Artemisinins / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Drug Resistance
  • Female
  • Genes, Protozoan
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Malaria, Falciparum / drug therapy
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology*
  • Malaria, Falciparum / pathology
  • Male
  • Plasmodium falciparum / drug effects*
  • Plasmodium falciparum / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Uganda

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Artemisinins
  • artemisinin