Cooperation in Countering Artemisinin Resistance in Africa: Learning from COVID-19

• Published in: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 2022-06, Vol.106 (6), p.1568-1570
• Main Authors: Rosenthal, Philip J, Björkman, Anders, Dhorda, Mehul, Djimde, Abdoulaye, Dondorp, Arjen M, Gaye, Oumar, Guerin, Philippe J, Juma, Elizabeth, Kwiatkowski, Dominic P, Merson, Laura, Ntoumi, Francine, Price, Ric N, Raman, Jaishree, Roos, David S, Ter Kuile, Feiko, Tinto, Halidou, Tomko, Sheena S, White, Nicholas J, Barnes, Karen I
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Medicin och hälsovetenskap
• ISSN: 0002-9637; 1476-1645; 1476-1645
• DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.22-0148

The emergence of Plasmodium falciparum parasites with delayed clearance after treatment with artemisinins (artemisinin resistance), first reported in the Greater Mekong Subregion about 15 years ago, threatens loss of our most important drugs for treating malaria. The subsequent spread and evolution of artemisinin resistance, coupled with the acquisition of resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) partner drugs, have led to high rates of ACT treatment failure in Southeast Asia. Artemisinin resistance is causally associated with mutations in the propeller domain of the P. falciparum Kelch protein (K13) on a suitable genetic background. Although resistance to artemisinins and partner drugs poses a significant threat to the efficacy of first-line ACTs, its impact in Southeast Asia has been tempered by the relatively low malaria burden and substantial investments in improved malaria control in this region.