The search for effective and sustainable treatments for Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Africa: A model of the selection of resistance by antifolate drugs and their combinations

Watkins, W. M., Sibley, C. H. and Hastings, Ian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1332-742X (2005) 'The search for effective and sustainable treatments for Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Africa: A model of the selection of resistance by antifolate drugs and their combinations'. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Vol 72, Issue 2, pp. 163-173.

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Abstract

The extensive data on the relationship between parasite genotype and susceptibility to antifolate drugs can now be coupled with pharmacokinetic information to allow construction of models of the selection and spread of antifolate-resistant Plasmodium? falciparum. In this report, we have modeled the effect on resistance selection processes of combinations of antifolate antimalarial drugs with artesunate and with amodiaquine under a variety of conditions that can be defined by the user. The model is intended to assist policymakers in forecasting the useful therapeutic life (UTL) for a rang, e of potential combination treatments. The model is especially designed for use by African malaria programs so that the interactions of key variables can be explored and appropriate combinations of drugs can be chosen for field testing. The model provides some important general conclusions: 1) for optimal extension of UTL, combination therapy must be deployed before either constituent drug is used as monotherapy; 2) even short periods of monotherapy can severely limit the usefulness of subsequent combination therapy; and 3) that adding a second drug to rescue an antifolate antimalarial that is overtly failing is an inappropriate and ultimately wasteful exercise.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	QV Pharmacology > QV 38 Drug action. QW Microbiology and Immunology > QW 45 Microbial drug resistance. General or not elsewhere classified. QX Parasitology > Protozoa > QX 135 Plasmodia WA Public Health > Preventive Medicine > WA 110 Prevention and control of communicable diseases. Transmission of infectious diseases WB Practice of Medicine > Medical Climatology > WB 710 Diseases of geographic areas WC Communicable Diseases > Tropical and Parasitic Diseases > WC 750 Malaria
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2005.72.163
Depositing User:	Sarah Lewis-Newton
Date Deposited:	20 Oct 2011 14:43
Last Modified:	04 Dec 2024 10:12
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/1848

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