Mutant DHFR Prevalence and Pyrimethamine Resistance among Asymptomatic Adolescents in Kwara State.
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Date
2023-03-01
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Nigerian Journal of Parasitology
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains a leading public health problem
in sub-Saharan Africa and its control is seriously challenged by drug resistance.
Resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine is mediated by point mutations in genes
encoding the target enzymes dihydrofolate reductase (pfdhfr) and dihydropteroate
synthase (pfdhps). Blood from a total of 176 subjects aged 11-19 years from Ilorin
East and Irepodun Local Government areas (LGAs) was examined for mutant alleles
of the Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase gene by polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) at codon 51 and 108 respectively. Rapid Diagnostic Test kits were
used for the malaria test. Of the 176 participants, 73 (41.5%) subjects tested positive
for malaria parasite while 95 (54.0%) tested negative. For both N51I and S108N SNP
screening, mutant alleles were dominant over the wild type. The Iponrin community
(Ilorin East LGA) recorded the highest percentage of mutant alleles 14 (33.33%) of
the N51I SNP, while the Igbonla community (Irepodun LGA) had the least number
of mutant alleles 8 (19.04%). On the other hand, the Alakuko community recorded
the highest number of alleles 14 (31.80%) for S108N mutant while the Igbonla
community (Irepodun LGA) had the least number of mutant alleles 8 (18.18%). There
was widespread pyrimethamine resistance among the studied population and the
malaria parasite remains persistent among the studied population. Therefore, there is
a need for monitoring antimalarial drug resistance in Nigeria for prompt management
of the antimalarial drug resistance menace.
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