Changing antimalarial drug resistance patterns identified by surveillance at three sites in Uganda

Abstract

We assessed Plasmodium falciparum drug resistance markers in parasites collected in 2012, 2013, and 2015 at 3 sites in Uganda. The prevalence and frequency of parasites with mutations in putative transporters previously associated with resistance to aminoquinolines, but increased sensitivity to lumefantrine (pfcrt 76T; pfmdr1 86Y and 1246Y), decreased markedly at all sites. Antifolate resistance mutations were common, with apparent emergence of mutations (pfdhfr 164L; pfdhps 581G) associated with high-level resistance. K13 mutations linked to artemisinin resistance were uncommon and did not increase over time. Changing malaria treatment practices have been accompanied by profound changes in markers of resistance.