TY - JOUR T1 - Molecular surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies in the Democratic Republic of Congo. JF - PLoS One Y1 - 2017 A1 - Dieudonné Makaba Mvumbi A1 - Thierry Lengu Bobanga A1 - Kayembe, Jean-Marie Ntumba A1 - Georges Lelo Mvumbi A1 - Situakibanza, Hippolyte Nani-Tuma A1 - Françoise Benoit-Vical A1 - Pierrette Melin A1 - Patrick De Mol A1 - Marie-Pierre Hayette KW - Artemisinins KW - Democratic Republic of the Congo KW - Drug Resistance KW - Drug Therapy, Combination KW - Gene Dosage KW - Genetic Markers KW - Geography KW - Haplotypes KW - Humans KW - Malaria, Falciparum KW - Mutation KW - Plasmodium falciparum KW - Polymorphism, Genetic KW - Protozoan Proteins AB -

Malaria is a major public health problem in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite progress achieved over the past decade in the fight against malaria, further efforts have to be done such as in the surveillance and the containment of Plasmodium falciparum resistant strains. We investigated resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies currently in use in Democratic Republic of Congo by surveying molecular polymorphisms in three genes: pfcrt, pfmdr1 and pfk13 to explore possible emergence of amodiaquine, lumefantrine or artemisinin resistance in Democratic Republic of Congo. This study essentially revealed that resistance to chloroquine is still decreasing while polymorphism related to amodiaquine resistance seems to be not present in Democratic Republic of Congo, that three samples, located in the east of the country, harbor Pfmdr1 amplification and that none of the mutations found in South-East Asia correlated with artemisinine resistance have been found in Democratic Republic of Congo. But new mutations have been identified, especially the M476K, occurred in the same position that the M476I previously identified in the F32-ART strain, strongly resistant to artemisinine. Antimalarial first-line treatments currently in use in Democratic Republic of Congo are not associated with emergence of molecular markers of resistance.

VL - 12 CP - 6 M3 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0179142 ER -