Frequency of Pfcrt T76 and Pfdhfr Asn-108 Drug Resistance Mutations in falciparum Malaria in Southeastern Malaria Endemic Area of Iran

Abstract

Background: Point mutations in the genes, Pfcrt and Pfdhfr, have been identified elsewhere as strongly associated with re­sistance to chloroquine (CQ) and pyrimethamine, respectively. Methods: Using a restriction digestion method, we report the frequency of two important mutations, T76 and Asn108, re­spon­sible for conferring resistance to chloroquine and pyrimethamine, respectively, in patients residing in malarious areas of southeastern Iran. Results: Ninety eight and 84% of the patients were found to harbor chloroquine resistant (theronine-76) and pyrimethamine resis­tant (aspargin-108) mutants, respectively. Conclusions: Despite the high frequency of T76 and Asn 108 mutations in Iranian patients, combination of CQ and pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine (SP) was shown to be quite successful with 100% adequate clinical and parasitological re­sponses.

Keywords

• Pyrimethamine/sulfadoxine