Molecular profile of malaria drug resistance markers of Plasmodium falciparum in Suriname [PublishAheadOfPrint]

In Suriname, an artesunate monotherapy therapeutic efficacy trial was recently conducted to evaluate partial artemisinin resistance emerging in Plasmodium falciparum. We genotyped the PfK13 propeller domain of P. falciparum in forty samples as well as other mutations proposed to be associated with artemisinin resistant mutants. We did not find any mutations previously associated with artemisinin resistance in Southeast Asia but we found fixed resistance mutations for chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. Additionally, the Pfcrt C350R mutation, associated with reversal of CQ resistance and piperaquine selective pressure was present in 62% of the samples. Our results from neutral microsatellite data also confirmed a high parasite gene flow in the Guiana Shield. Although recruiting participants for therapeutic efficacy studies in very low malaria endemic areas is challenging due to the low number of malaria cases reported, conducting these studies along with molecular surveillance remains essential to monitor artemisinin resistant alleles and to characterize the population structure P. falciparum in areas targeting malaria elimination.

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