@article{0125bb8149a5464694ea536a88aa791e,
title = "Plasmodium falciparum sulfadoxine resistance is geographically and genetically clustered within the DR Congo",
abstract = "Understanding the spatial clustering of Plasmodium falciparum populations can assist efforts to contain drug-resistant parasites and maintain the efficacy of future drugs. We sequenced single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the dihydropteroate synthase gene (dhps) associated with sulfadoxine resistance and 5 microsatellite loci flanking dhps in order to investigate the genetic backgrounds, genetic relatedness, and geographic clustering of falciparum parasites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Resistant haplotypes were clustered into subpopulations: one in the northeast DRC, and the other in the balance of the DRC. Network and clonal lineage analyses of the flanking microsatellites indicate that geographically-distinct mutant dhps haplotypes derive from separate lineages. The DRC is therefore a watershed for haplotypes associated with sulfadoxine resistance. Given the importance of central Africa as a corridor for the spread of antimalarial resistance, the identification of the mechanisms of this transit can inform future policies to contain drug-resistant parasite strains.",
author = "Taylor, {Steve M.} and Antonia, {Alejandro L.} and Parobek, {Christian M.} and Juliano, {Jonathan J.} and Mark Janko and Michael Emch and Alam, {Md Tauqeer} and Venkatachalam Udhayakumar and Tshefu, {Antoinette K.} and Meshnick, {Steven R.}",
note = "Funding Information: We thank Dr Augustin Okenge (Programme National de Lutte Contre le SIDA, Kinshasa, DRC), Dr Jeremie Mwonga (Laboratoire National de Reference SIDA et IST, Kinshasa, DRC), and Ann Way, Mohamed Ayad, and Martin Vaessen (all of MeasureDHS, Calverton, MD) for help in obtaining access to the dried blood spots. Stephanie Carrier, Hannah Hoffman, and Jaymin Patel (all of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) assisted in the laboratory. This work would not have been possible without the work of scores of survey administrators. Ultimately, we are indebted to the DHS respondents for their participation. This work was supported by a Gillings Innovation Laboratory award from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health (to SRM), a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship from the Office for Undergraduate Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (to ALA), and the CDC Antimicrobial Resistance Network for the laboratory work performed at CDC (to VU). Dr Taylor is supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under award number K08AI100924, and Mr Parobek was supported in part by NIH training grant T32GM0088719. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.",
year = "2013",
month = jan,
day = "30",
doi = "10.1038/srep01165",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "3",
journal = "Scientific reports",
issn = "2045-2322",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
}