In-Vitro Antimalarial Resistance Pattern of Plasmodium Falciparum Infection Among Pregnant Women In Northern Nigeria

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Biological Science, National Defense Academy, Kaduna State, Nigeria

2 Department of Medical Laboratory Services, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Gwagwalada, FCT Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Background and study aim: Despite the global priority given to malaria control and prevention, antimalarial resistance is a major factor that encourages persistence of malaria in developing countries. This prospective study sought to determine the antimalarial resistance pattern of P. falciparum isolated from infected pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Kaduna state, Northern Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: Between 16th February and 28th April, 2015, EDTA anticoagulated blood samples were collected from seventy nine pregnant women with plasmodiasis. Antimalarial susceptibility of chloroquine, artesunate, artemether and sulfadoxin-pyrimethamine (SP) against P falciparum was done using schizont maturation assay. Multidrug resistant plasmodiasis was defined by resistance to ≥ 3 antimalarial drugs.
Results: Malaria parasites from the pregnant women exhibited the highest resistance against chloroquine, 85 (Session [UserIDID].1%) followed by Artemether, 30 (8.5%) then sulfadoxin-pyrimethamine, 29 (8.2%) and least resistant to artesunate, 28 (7.9%). The occurrence rate of multidrug resistance was 40.5%. There was no significant association between occurrence of multidrug resistance and malaria parasitaemia (p=0.092). Seventy five, 94.8% of the P. falciparum infected subjects exhibit resistant to at least one antimalarial. Antimalarial resistance was highest in women with severe malaria 20 (80.0%), followed by those with moderate malaria, 15 (62.5%) and least in those with mild malaria, 4 (13.3%). There was significant association between occurrence of antimalarial resistance and densities of malaria parasitaemia (p=0.0125).
Conclusion: Considering the high degree of antimalarial resistance reported from this study, there will be challenges in eradicating malaria in this environment. These findings necessitate the need for regular surveillance for resistant P. falciparum and evaluation of more effective alternative drug (s).

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