RFI: Sulfadoxine/Pyrimethamine resistance monitoring
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Question for malaria molecular biologists
What is the role of PCR in establishing the prevalence of Sulfadoxine /
Pyrimethamine resistance? What would its role be in a country like Zim-
babwe, where S/P resistance might still be quite limited (but present
according to some)? Would it be useful to establish what type of geno-
types of falciparum are responsible for possible S/P resistance? What
role for mapping the presence of certain genotypes?
Chloroquine susceptibility is still high: around 92% (except for some
exceptional locations that report higher resistance). We would be re-
luctant to switch to a new first line drug (S/P) which already has
shown some failures and which I understand provokes resistance develop-
ment much faster than chloroquine.
Who can help?
Kind regards,
A. A. van Geldermalsen
Medical Officer of Health
Dept. Epidemiology and Disease Control
Mashonaland Central
P.O. Box 98
Bindura, Zimbabwe
Tel: +263-71-6369 /6479/ 6381 /6204 (direct)
Fax: +263-71-6956
Tel: +263-71-7075 (Private)
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