Resistance screening and trend analysis of imported falciparum malaria in NSW, Australia (2010 to 2016)

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197369
• Publication Date: 2018-05-29T13:34:52Z
• Authors: Christiane Prosser; Wieland Meyer; John Ellis; Rogan Lee
• Keywords: Adult; Male; 0301 basic medicine; Adolescent; Genotype; Science; Drug Resistance; Antimalarials; 03 medical and health sciences; Humans; Malaria, Falciparum; Child; Aged; Genome; Geography; Q; R; Infant; Middle Aged; Artemisinins; 3. Good health; Haplotypes; Child, Preschool; Mutation; Medicine; Female; New South Wales; Research Article

Background The World Health Organization currently recommends artemisinin (along with a partner drug) as the global frontline treatment for Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Artemisinin resistant P. are now found throughout greater Mekong subregion of South East Asia. Several polymorphisms in parasite’s kelch gene have been demonstrated to confer resistance. While genotypes within thoroughly examined literature, populations several areas that do not (yet) endemic resistance underrepresented. Results This investigation characterised Pfkelch13 propeller domains from 153 blood samples 140 imported cases malaria New Wales 2010 2016. A low level domain diversity was observed, including C580Y coding mutation most strongly associated genotype sample originating Papua Guinea, where this mutation, or failure, previously reported. Sequencing panel geographically informative organellar genomes identified parasite having Oceanic origins. Patient data analysis revealed Wales, Australia, often originated regions limited drug screening. Conclusions finding outside supports consensus upscale molecular surveillance genetic screening results identify risk importing supporting an ongoing protocol pre-empt failure and contribute gathering.