Abstract

MENDOZA MEZA, Dary Luz et al. Point mutations in the dihydropteroate synthetase gene of Plasmodium falciparum in Bolivar, Colombia. Rev Cubana Med Trop [online]. 2013, vol.65, n.2, pp.242-248. ISSN 0375-0760.

Introduction: antimalarial drug resistance hinders the control of malaria in Colombia. The molecular surveillance of point mutations in therapeutic targets is essential in the study of antimalarial drugs. Objective: to identify point mutations at dihydropteroate synthetase gene of Plasmodium falciparum (pfdhps) associated with sulfadoxine resistance. Methods: source of P. falciparum DNA was blood thick smears of 55 individuals with malaria infection, reported in Bolivar, Colombia. The DNA was extracted with 5 %. Chelex-100 solution. The mutations were identified by PCR-RFLP and sequencing. Results: seventeen samples (31 %) amplified a 438 bp fragment of pfdhps. The PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism) showed a frequency of mutant genotype (G-437) in 65 % of amplicons, mixed genotype (A/G-437) in 29 % and wild genotype (A/G-437) in 6 %. The mutant alleles G-437, F-436 and the wild allele K-540 were identified in all sequenced samples. Conclusions: this is the first report of point mutations in the P. falciparum dhps gene in Bolivar, Colombia. This result contributes to the knowledge of antimalarial drug resistance in the Colombian Caribbean region.

Keywords : Plasmodium falciparum; pfdhps; point mutations; thick smears.

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