Surveillance of Molecular Markers of Plasmodium falciparum Resistance to Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine 5 Years after the Change of Malaria Treatment Policy in Ghana

Nancy O. Duah Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Centre for Tropical Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana; United States Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt

Search for other papers by Nancy O. Duah in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Neils B. Quashie Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Centre for Tropical Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana; United States Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt

Search for other papers by Neils B. Quashie in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Benjamin K. Abuaku Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Centre for Tropical Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana; United States Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt

Search for other papers by Benjamin K. Abuaku in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Peter J. Sebeny Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Centre for Tropical Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana; United States Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt

Search for other papers by Peter J. Sebeny in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Karl C. Kronmann Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Centre for Tropical Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana; United States Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt

Search for other papers by Karl C. Kronmann in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
Kwadwo A. Koram Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Centre for Tropical Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana; United States Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt

Search for other papers by Kwadwo A. Koram in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Restricted access

In 2005, sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) became the drug of choice for intermittent preventive treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) in Ghana. Reports suggest the use of SP by others to treat uncomplicated malaria. Because of the increased use of SP, the prevalence of mutations in the genes, dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr), and dihydropteroate synthetase (dhps), linked to SP resistance in P. falciparum were determined. Blood samples from 945 children with uncomplicated malaria collected at nine sites from 2003 to 2010 were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Prevalence of the dhfr triple and dhfr plus dhps quadruple mutations showed significant increase in trend from 2003 to 2010 (χ2 = 18.78, P < 0.001, χ2 = 15.11, P < 0.001, respectively). For dhps double mutant G437 + E540 the prevalence was low (1.12%) caused by the very low prevalence of E540. Our findings show the wide use of SP in Ghana and therefore its use for IPTp needs to be closely monitored.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Nancy O. Duah, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, P.O. Box LG581, Legon, Accra, Ghana. E-mail: nduah@noguchi.mimcom.org

Financial support: The molecular aspect of this work was funded by the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (GEIS), a Division of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (AFHSC) [Project no. C0437_10_N3]. The field work aspect was funded by the Global Fund for TB, Aids, and Malaria/National Malaria Control Program and the WHO/Multilateral Initiative in Malaria (MIM) [Project no. 980034].

Disclosure: Karl C. Kronmann and Peter Sebeny are military service members. This work was prepared as part of their official duties. Title 17 U.S.C. §105 provides that ‘Copyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government.’ Title 17 U.S.C. §101 defines a U.S. Government work as a work prepared by a military service member or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person's official duties.

Authors' addresses: Nancy O. Duah, Benjamin K. Abuaku, and Kwadwo A. Koram, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Legon, Accra, Ghana, E-mails: nduah@noguchi.mimcom.org, babuaku@noguchi.mimcom.org, and kkoram@noguchi.mimcom.org. Neils B. Quashie, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Legon, Accra, Ghana, E-mail: nquashie@noguchi.mimcom.org. Peter J. Sebeny, Infectious Diseases Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, E-mail: Peter.Sebeny@med.navy.mil. Karl C. Kronmann, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt, E-mail: karl.kronmann@med.navy.mil.

  • 1.

    WHO, 2010. WHO calls on malaria-endemic countries to strengthen monitoring of drug efficacy. Available at: http://www.wpro.who.int/mediacentre/releases/2010/20101118/en/index.html. Accessed June 3, 2012.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 2.

    WHO, 2003. Lives at risk: malaria in pregnancy. Available at: http://www.who.int/features/2003/04b/en/. Accessed November 20, 2011.

  • 3.

    WHO, 2010. Malaria Fact Sheet No. 94. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs094/en/index.html. Accessed November 20, 2011.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 4.

    MOH, 2009. Anti-Malaria Drug Policy for Ghana. Ghana: Ministry of Health.

  • 5.

    Koram KA, Abuaku B, Duah N, Quashie N, 2005. Comparative efficacy of antimalarial drugs including ACTs in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria among children under 5 years in Ghana. Acta Trop 95: 194203.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 6.

    Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), Ghana Health Service (GHS) and ICF Macro, 2009. Ghana Demographic and Health Survey 2008. Accra, Ghana: GSS, GHS, and ICF Macro. Available at: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADQ630.pdf.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 7.

    Faye B, Ndiaye M, Ndiaye JL, Annie A, Tine RC, Lo AC, Sow D, De Sousa A, Gaye O, 2011. Prevalence of molecular markers of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine during the intermittent preventive treatment in infants coupled with the expanded program immunization in Senegal. Parasitol Res 109: 133138.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 8.

    Raman J, Little F, Roper C, Kleinschmidt I, Cassam Y, Maharaj R, Barnes KI, 2010. Five years of large-scale dhfr and dhps mutation surveillance following the phased implementation of artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in Maputo Province, Southern Mozambique. Am J Trop Med Hyg 82: 788794.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 9.

    Peterson DS, Milhous WK, Wellems TE, 1990. Molecular basis of differential resistance to cycloguanil and pyrimethamine in Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 87: 30183022.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 10.

    Peterson DS, Walliker D, Wellems TE, 1988. Evidence that a point mutation in dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase confers resistance to pyrimethamine in falciparum malaria. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85: 91149118.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 11.

    Wang P, Read M, Sims PF, Hyde JE, 1997. Sulfadoxine resistance in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is determined by mutations in dihydropteroate synthetase and an additional factor associated with folate utilization. Mol Microbiol 23: 979986.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 12.

    Figueiredo P, Benchimol C, Lopes D, Bernardino L, Rosario VE, Varandas L, Nogueira F, 2008. Prevalence of pfmdr1, pfcrt, pfdhfr and pfdhps mutations associated with drug resistance, in Luanda, Angola. Malar J 7: 236.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 13.

    Mens PF, van Overmeir C, Bonnet M, Dujardin JC, d'Alessandro U, 2008. Real-time PCR/MCA assay using fluorescence resonance energy transfer for the genotyping of resistance related DHPS-540 mutations in Plasmodium falciparum. Malar J 7: 48.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 14.

    Mockenhaupt FP, Bousema JT, Eggelte TA, Schreiber J, Ehrhardt S, Wassilew N, Otchwemah RN, Sauerwein RW, Bienzle U, 2005. Plasmodium falciparum dhfr but not dhps mutations associated with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine treatment failure and gametocyte carriage in northern Ghana. Trop Med Int Health 10: 901908.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 15.

    Kublin JG, Dzinjalamala FK, Kamwendo DD, Malkin EM, Cortese JF, Martino LM, Mukadam RA, Rogerson SJ, Lescano AG, Molyneux ME, Winstanley PA, Chimpeni P, Taylor TE, Plowe CV, 2002. Molecular markers for failure of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and chlorproguanil-dapsone treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. J Infect Dis 185: 380388.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 16.

    Plowe CV, Cortese JF, Djimde A, Wellems TE, 1997. Mutations in Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase and dihydropteroate synthase and epidemiologic patterns of pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine use and resistance. J Infect Dis 176: 15901596.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 17.

    Wang P, Lee CS, Bayoumi R, Djimde A, Doumbo O, Swedberg G, Dao LD, Mshinda H, Tanner M, Watkins WM, Sims PF, Hyde JE, 1997. Resistance to antifolates in Plasmodium falciparum monitored by sequence analysis of dihydropteroate synthetase and dihydrofolate reductase alleles in a large number of field samples of diverse origins. Mol Biochem Parasitol 89: 161177.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 18.

    Sirawaraporn W, Sathitkul T, Sirawaraporn R, Yuthavong Y, Santi DV, 1997. Antifolate-resistant mutants of Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94: 11241129.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 19.

    Pearce RJ, Pota H, Evehe MS, Ba el-H, Mombo-Ngoma G, Malisa AL, Ord R, Inojosa W, Matondo A, Diallo DA, Mbacham W, van den Broek IV, Swarthout TD, Getachew A, Dejene S, Grobusch MP, Njie F, Dunyo S, Kweku M, Owusu-Agyei S, Chandramohan D, Bonnet M, Guthmann JP, Clarke S, Barnes KI, Streat E, Katokele ST, Uusiku P, Agboghoroma CO, Elegba OY, Cisse B, A-Elbasit IE, Giha HA, Kachur SP, Lynch C, Rwakimari JB, Chanda P, Hawela M, Sharp B, Naidoo I, Roper C, 2009. Multiple origins and regional dispersal of resistant dhps in African Plasmodium falciparum malaria. PLoS Med 6: e1000055.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 20.

    Alam MT, de Souza DK, Vinayak S, Griffing SM, Poe AC, Duah NO, Ghansah A, Asamoa K, Slutsker L, Wilson MD, Barnwell JW, Udhayakumar V, Koram KA, 2011. Selective sweeps and genetic lineages of Plasmodium falciparum drug-resistant alleles in Ghana. J Infect Dis 203: 220227.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 21.

    Quashie NB, Duah NO, Abuaku B, Koram KA, 2007. The in-vitro susceptibilities of Ghanaian Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarial drugs. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 101: 391398.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 22.

    Duah NO, Wilson MD, Ghansah A, Abuaku B, Edoh D, Quashie NB, Koram KA, 2007. Mutations in Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter and multidrug resistance genes, and treatment outcomes in Ghanaian children with uncomplicated malaria. J Trop Pediatr 53: 2731.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 23.

    GHS, 2004. Final Draft: Antimalaria Drug Policy for Ghana. Ghana: Ghana Health Service.

  • 24.

    Dicko A, Sagara I, Djimde AA, Toure SO, Traore M, Dama S, Diallo AI, Barry A, Dicko M, Coulibaly OM, Rogier C, de Sousa A, Doumbo OK, 2010. Molecular markers of resistance to sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine one year after implementation of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in infants in Mali. Malar J 9: 9.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 25.

    WHO, 2010. Policy recommendation on Intermittent Preventive Treatment during infancy with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP-IPTi) for Plasmodium falciparum malaria control in Africa. Available at: http://www.who.int/malaria/news/WHO_policy_recommendation_IPTi_032010.pdf. Accessed June 3, 2012.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 26.

    Naidoo I, Roper C, 2011. Drug resistance maps to guide intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in African infants. Parasitol 138: 14691479.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 27.

    Bereczky S, Martensson A, Gil JP, Farnert A, 2005. Short report: rapid DNA extraction from archive blood spots on filter paper for genotyping of Plasmodium falciparum. Am J Trop Med Hyg 72: 249251.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 28.

    Duraisingh MT, Curtis J, Warhurst DC, 1998. Plasmodium falciparum: detection of polymorphisms in the dihydrofolate reductase and dihydropteroate synthetase genes by PCR and restriction digestion. Exp Parasitol 89: 18.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 29.

    Omar SA, Adagu IS, Warhurst DC, 2001. Can pretreatment screening for dhps and dhfr point mutations in Plasmodium falciparum infections be used to predict sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine treatment failure? Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 95: 315319.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 30.

    Alifrangis M, Enosse S, Khalil IF, Tarimo DS, Lemnge MM, Thompson R, Bygbjerg IC, Ronn AM, 2003. Prediction of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine in vivo by mutations in the dihydrofolate reductase and dihydropteroate synthetase genes: a comparative study between sites of differing endemicity. Am J Trop Med Hyg 69: 601606.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 31.

    Staedke SG, Sendagire H, Lamola S, Kamya MR, Dorsey G, Rosenthal PJ, 2004. Relationship between age, molecular markers, and response to sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine treatment in Kampala, Uganda. Trop Med Int Health 9: 624629.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 32.

    Tahar R, Basco L, 2006. Molecular epidemiology of malaria in Cameroon. XXII. Geographic mapping and distribution of Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) mutant alleles. Am J Trop Med Hyg 75: 396401.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 33.

    Gama BE, Pereira-Carvalho G, Kosi F, Oliverira A, Fortes F, Rosenthal PJ, Rosario V, Daniel-Ribeiro C, Ferreira-da-Cruz M, 2011. Molecular markers of antifolate resistance in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Luanda, Angola. Malar J 10: 248.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 34.

    Alifrangis M, Lusingu JP, Mmbando B, Dalgaard MB, Vestergaard LS, Ishengoma D, Khalil IF, Theander TG, Lemnge MM, Bygbjerg IC, 2009. Five-year surveillance of molecular markers of Plasmodium falciparum antimalarial drug resistance in Korogwe District, Tanzania: accumulation of the 581G mutation in the P. falciparum dihydropteroate synthase gene. Am J Trop Med Hyg 80: 523527.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 35.

    Francis D, Nsobya SL, Talisuna A, Yeka A, Kamya MR, Machekano R, Dokomajilar C, Rosenthal PJ, Dorsey G, 2006. Geographic differences in antimalarial drug efficacy in Uganda are explained by differences in endemicity and not by known molecular markers of drug resistance. J Infect Dis 193: 978986.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 36.

    Mockenhaupt FP, Bousema JT, Eggelte TA, Ehrhardt S, Otchwemah RN, Sauerwein RW, Bienzle U, 2005. Concurrence of Plasmodium falciparum dhfr and crt mutations in northern Ghana. Malar J 4: 42.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 37.

    Marks F, Evans J, Meyer CG, Browne EN, Flessner C, von Kalckreuth V, Eggelte TA, Horstmann RD, May J, 2005. High prevalence of markers for sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum in the absence of drug pressure in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 49: 11011105.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 38.

    Bacon DJ, McCollum AM, Griffing SM, Salas C, Soberon V, Santolalla M, Haley R, Tsukayama P, Lucas C, Escalante AA, Udhayakumar V, 2009. Dynamics of malaria drug resistance patterns in the Amazon basin region following changes in Peruvian national treatment policy for uncomplicated malaria. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 53: 20422051.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 39.

    Zhou Z, Griffing SM, de Oliveira AM, McCollum AM, Quezada WM, Arrospide N, Escalante AA, Udhayakumar V, 2008. Decline in sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine-resistant alleles after change in drug policy in the Amazon region of Peru. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 52: 739741.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 40.

    Abuaku BK, Koram KA, Binka FN, 2004. Antimalarial drug use among caregivers in Ghana. Afr Health Sci 4: 171177.

  • 41.

    Tsumori Y, Ndounga M, Sunahara T, Hayashida N, Inoue M, Nakazawa S, Casimiro P, Isozumi R, Uemura H, Tanabe K, Kaneko O, Culleton R, 2011. Plasmodium falciparum: differential selection of drug resistance alleles in contiguous urban and peri-urban areas of Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. PLoS ONE 6: e23430.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 42.

    Jelinek T, Kilian AHD, Curtis J, Duraisingh MT, Kabagambe G, von Sonnenburg F, Warhurst DC, 1999. Plasmodium falciparum: selection of serine 108 of dihydrofolate reductase during treatment of uncomplicated malaria with co-trimoxazole in Ugandan children. Am J Trop Med Hyg 61: 125130.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 43.

    Zachariah R, Harries AD, Luo C, Bachman G, Graham SM, 2007. Scaling-up co-trimoxazole prophylaxis in HIV-exposed and HIV-infected children in high HIV-prevalence countries. Lancet Infect Dis 7: 686693.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 44.

    Lynen L, Jacobs J, Colebunders R, 2007. Co-trimoxazole prophylaxis in tropical countries in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy: do we know enough? Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 101: 10591060.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 45.

    Abimbola TO, Marston BJ, 2012. The cost-effectiveness of cotrimoxazole in people with advanced HIV infection initiating antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 60: e8e14.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
Past two years Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 60 60 4
Full Text Views 486 115 0
PDF Downloads 120 26 0
 
Membership Banner
 
 
 
Affiliate Membership Banner
 
 
Research for Health Information Banner
 
 
CLOCKSS
 
 
 
Society Publishers Coalition Banner
Save