Beyond pvmdr1 and pvcrt: Search for relevant diversity in new Plasmodium vivax candidate genes associated with antimalarial drug resistance

Scientific rationale Plasmodium vivax, the de facto most spread malaria parasite in the world has been recognized as associated with non-negligible mortality, and a significant ability to evade antimalarial action. Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT), malaria is now being proposed for P. vivax management, with an emphasys on dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-PPQ). P. falciparum (Pf) is highly efficient on fast developing PPQ resistance, a trait spectacularly showcased in the swift collapse of DHA-PPQ in SE Asia. The question remains if P. vivax will also follow this pattern. Pf piperaquine resistance is strongly based in plasmepsin (PM) gene copy number variation (CNV), namely pfPM2 and pfPM3. Implementation of two main activities: 1). Visit of University of Sao Paulo (USP) Post-Doctoral researchers to Karolinska Institute (KI) for developing pvPM CNV detection systems (QPCR TaqMan Probes based). 1-2 months (2020). 2). Organization of a focused meeting/workshop on P. falciparum and P. vivax drug resistance at USP (2021) as a unique opportunity to ithe exchange of ideas and the forging of new collaborations. Effect and added value this collaboration will represent an entry point on P. vivax research, an area generally lacking at KI. For USP, it will potentiate novel explorations in P. vivax drug resistance benefiting from KI P. falciparum expertise. It will allow a synergistic cross pollination of ideas between the two malaria fields.

Project details

Genetics and Genomics
P. vivax

Jul 2020 — Jun 2021

$80,316

Brazil
Sweden