Antimalarial drug response of Plasmodium falciparum from Zaria, Nigeria

• Published in: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 89; no. 4; pp. 422 - 425
• Main Authors: Adagu, I.S., Warhurst, D.C., Ogala, W.N., Abdu-Aguye, I., Audu, L.I., Bamgbola, F.O., Ovwigho, U.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.07.1995; Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antimalarials - therapeutic use; Antiparasitic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloroquine - therapeutic use; Drug Combinations; Drug Resistance; drug sensitivity; Humans; Infant; malaria; Malaria, Falciparum - drug therapy; Medical sciences; Mefloquine - therapeutic use; Nigeria; Parasitemia - drug therapy; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium falciparum - drug effects; Pyrimethamine - therapeutic use; Quinine - therapeutic use; Sulfadoxine - therapeutic use; Tropical medicine; Nigeria; Plasmodium falciparum; drug sensitivity; malaria; Nigeria; Human; Protozoa; Antimalarial; Protozoal disease; Malaria; Parasitosis; In vitro; Quinine; Result; Infection; In vivo; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Sporozoa; Child
• ISSN: 0035-9203; 1878-3503
• DOI: 10.1016/0035-9203(95)90037-3

The sensitivity of Zaria strains of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine, mefloquine, quinine and sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine was investigated 5 years after the appearance of in vivo/ in vitro chloroquine resistance in urban Zaria. Infections in 36/43 children (83·7%) treated with chloroquine were sensitive while those in 7 (16·3%) were resistant. 8/13 isolates cultured (61·5%) were sensitive in vitro to chloroquine and 5 (38·5%) were resistant. Of the cultured isolates, 13/13 (100%), 12/13 (92·3%) and 5/7 (71·4%) showed mefloquine, quinine and sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine sensitivity, respectively. The results confirmed chloroquine and sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine resistance in urban Zaria and revealed emerging quinine resistance. Resistance to chloroquine and sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine is at RI level and chloroquine should continue to be the first-line drug for the treatment and prevention of P. falciparum infection in the Zaria area of northern Nigeria. We suggest that, while quinine serves as second-line drug, mefloquine should be reserved for infections resistant to chloroquine, quinine and sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine.