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Lawrence N, Handley TNG, de Veer SJ, Harding MD, Andraszek A, Hall L, Raven KD, Duffy S, Avery VM, Craik DJ, Malins LR, McMorran BJ. Enhancing the Intrinsic Antiplasmodial Activity and Improving the Stability and Selectivity of a Tunable Peptide Scaffold Derived from Human Platelet Factor 4. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:2899-2912. [PMID: 39087267 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
The control of malaria, a disease caused by Plasmodium parasites that kills over half a million people every year, is threatened by the continual emergence and spread of drug resistance. Therefore, new molecules with different mechanisms of action are needed in the antimalarial drug development pipeline. Peptides developed from host defense molecules are gaining traction as anti-infectives due to theood of inducing drug resistance. Human platelet factor 4 (PF4) has intrinsic activity against P. falciparum, and a macrocyclic helix-loop-helix peptide derived from its active domain recapitulates this activity. In this study, we used a stepwise approach to optimize first-generation PF4-derived internalization peptides (PDIPs) by producing analogues with substitutions to charged and hydrophobic amino acid residues or with modifications to terminal residues including backbone cyclization. We evaluated the in vitro activity of PDIP analogues against P. falciparum compared to their overall helical structure, resistance to breakdown by serum proteases, selective binding to negatively charged membranes, and hemolytic activity. Next, we combined antiplasmodial potency-enhancing substitutions that retained favorable membrane and cell-selective properties onto the most stable scaffold to produce a backbone cyclic PDIP analogue with four-fold improved activity against P. falciparum compared to first-generation peptides. These studies demonstrate the ability to modify PDIP to select for and combine desirable properties and further validate the suitability of this unique peptide scaffold for developing a new molecule class that is distinct from existing antimalarial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Lawrence
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Thomas N G Handley
- Department of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Cancer Imaging, The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Victoria 3000, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Simon J de Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Maxim D Harding
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alicja Andraszek
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Lachlan Hall
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Karoline D Raven
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Sandra Duffy
- Discovery Biology, Centre for Cellular Phenomics, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Vicky M Avery
- Discovery Biology, Centre for Cellular Phenomics, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Lara R Malins
- Research School of Chemistry and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Brendan J McMorran
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
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Li EZ, Nguyen TD, Tran TNA, Zupko RJ, Boni MF. Assessing emergence risk of double-resistant and triple-resistant genotypes of Plasmodium falciparum. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1390. [PMID: 38360803 PMCID: PMC10869733 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45547-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Delaying and slowing antimalarial drug resistance evolution is a priority for malaria-endemic countries. Until novel therapies become available, the mainstay of antimalarial treatment will continue to be artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). Deployment of different ACTs can be optimized to minimize evolutionary pressure for drug resistance by deploying them as a set of co-equal multiple first-line therapies (MFT) rather than rotating therapies in and out of use. Here, we consider one potential detriment of MFT policies, namely, that the simultaneous deployment of multiple ACTs could drive the evolution of different resistance alleles concurrently and that these resistance alleles could then be brought together by recombination into double-resistant or triple-resistant parasites. Using an individual-based model, we compare MFT and cycling policies in malaria transmission settings ranging from 0.1% to 50% prevalence. We define a total risk measure for multi-drug resistance (MDR) by summing the area under the genotype-frequency curves (AUC) of double- and triple-resistant genotypes. When prevalence ≥ 1%, total MDR risk ranges from statistically similar to 80% lower under MFT policies than under cycling policies, irrespective of whether resistance is imported or emerges de novo. At 0.1% prevalence, there is little statistical difference in MDR risk between MFT and cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Zhewen Li
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Tran Dang Nguyen
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Thu Nguyen-Anh Tran
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Robert J Zupko
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Maciej F Boni
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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3
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Watson OJ, Tran TNA, Zupko RJ, Symons T, Thomson R, Visser T, Rumisha S, Dzianach PA, Hathaway N, Kim I, Juliano JJ, Bailey JA, Slater H, Okell L, Gething P, Ghani A, Boni MF, Parr JB, Cunningham J. Global risk of selection and spread of Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 and 3 gene deletions. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2023.10.21.23297352. [PMID: 37905102 PMCID: PMC10615018 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.21.23297352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
In the thirteen years since the first report of pfhrp2-deleted parasites in 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) has found that 40 of 47 countries surveyed worldwide have reported pfhrp2/3 gene deletions. Due to a high prevalence of pfhrp2/3 deletions causing false-negative HRP2 RDTs, in the last five years, Eritrea, Djibouti and Ethiopia have switched or started switching to using alternative RDTs, that target pan-specific-pLDH or P. falciparum specific-pLDH alone of in combination with HRP2. However, manufacturing of alternative RDTs has not been brought to scale and there are no WHO prequalified combination tests that use Pf-pLDH instead of HRP2 for P. falciparum detection. For these reasons, the continued spread of pfhrp2/3 deletions represents a growing public health crisis that threatens efforts to control and eliminate P. falciparum malaria. National malaria control programmes, their implementing partners and test developers desperately seek pfhrp2/3 deletion data that can inform their immediate and future resource allocation. In response, we use a mathematical modelling approach to evaluate the global risk posed by pfhrp2/3 deletions and explore scenarios for how deletions will continue to spread in Africa. We incorporate current best estimates of the prevalence of pfhrp2/3 deletions and conduct a literature review to estimate model parameters known to impact the selection of pfhrp2/3 deletions for each malaria endemic country. We identify 20 countries worldwide to prioritise for surveillance and future deployment of alternative RDT, based on quickly selecting for pfhrp2/3 deletions once established. In scenarios designed to explore the continued spread of deletions in Africa, we identify 10 high threat countries that are most at risk of deletions both spreading to and subsequently being rapidly selected for. If HRP2-based RDTs continue to be relied on for malaria case management, we predict that the major route for pfhrp2 deletions to spread is south out from the current hotspot in the Horn of Africa, moving through East Africa over the next 20 years. We explore the variation in modelled timelines through an extensive parameter sensitivity analysis and despite wide uncertainties, we identify three countries that have not yet switched RDTs (Senegal, Zambia and Kenya) that are robustly identified as high risk for pfhrp2/3 deletions. These results provide a refined and updated prediction model for the emergence of pfhrp2/3 deletions in an effort to help guide pfhrp2/3 policy and prioritise future surveillance efforts and innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J Watson
- Medical Research Council Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Thu Nguyen-Anh Tran
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Robert J Zupko
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Tasmin Symons
- Malaria Atlas Project, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | | | | | - Susan Rumisha
- Malaria Atlas Project, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Paulina A Dzianach
- Malaria Atlas Project, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Nicholas Hathaway
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Isaac Kim
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Jonathan J Juliano
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Bailey
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | | | - Lucy Okell
- Medical Research Council Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Peter Gething
- Malaria Atlas Project, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
| | - Azra Ghani
- Medical Research Council Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Maciej F Boni
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jonathan B Parr
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jane Cunningham
- Global Malaria Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Zupko RJ, Nguyen TD, Ngabonziza JCS, Kabera M, Li H, Tran TNA, Tran KT, Uwimana A, Boni MF. Modeling policy interventions for slowing the spread of artemisinin-resistant pfkelch R561H mutations in Rwanda. Nat Med 2023; 29:2775-2784. [PMID: 37735560 PMCID: PMC10667088 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02551-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) are highly effective at treating uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria, but the emergence of the new pfkelch13 R561H mutation in Rwanda, associated with delayed parasite clearance, suggests that interventions are needed to slow its spread. Using a Rwanda-specific spatial calibration of an individual-based malaria model, we evaluate 26 strategies aimed at minimizing treatment failures and delaying the spread of R561H after 3, 5 and 10 years. Lengthening ACT courses and deploying multiple first-line therapies (MFTs) reduced treatment failures after 5 years when compared to the current approach of a 3-d course of artemether-lumefantrine. The best among these options (an MFT policy) resulted in median treatment failure counts that were 49% lower and a median R561H allele frequency that was 0.15 lower than under baseline. New approaches to resistance management, such as triple ACTs or sequential courses of two different ACTs, were projected to have a larger impact than longer ACT courses or MFT; these were associated with median treatment failure counts in 5 years that were 81-92% lower than the current approach. A policy response to currently circulating artemisinin-resistant genotypes in Africa is urgently needed to prevent a population-wide rise in treatment failures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Zupko
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Tran Dang Nguyen
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - J Claude S Ngabonziza
- Research, Innovation and Data Science Division, Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), Kigali, Rwanda
- Department of Clinical Biology, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Michee Kabera
- Malaria and Other Parasitic Diseases Division, Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Haojun Li
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Thu Nguyen-Anh Tran
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Kien Trung Tran
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Aline Uwimana
- Malaria and Other Parasitic Diseases Division, Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), Kigali, Rwanda
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Maciej F Boni
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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5
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Guissou RM, Amaratunga C, de Haan F, Tou F, Cheah PY, Yerbanga RS, Moors EHM, Dhorda M, Tindana P, Boon WPC, Dondorp AM, Ouédraogo JB. The impact of anti-malarial markets on artemisinin resistance: perspectives from Burkina Faso. Malar J 2023; 22:269. [PMID: 37705004 PMCID: PMC10498571 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04705-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Widespread artemisinin resistance in Africa could be catastrophic when drawing parallels with the failure of chloroquine in the 1970s and 1980s. This article explores the role of anti-malarial market characteristics in the emergence and spread of arteminisin resistance in African countries, drawing on perspectives from Burkina Faso. METHODS Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. A representative sample of national policy makers, regulators, public and private sector wholesalers, retailers, clinicians, nurses, and community members were purposively sampled. Additional information was also sought via review of policy publications and grey literature on anti-malarial policies and deployment practices in Burkina Faso. RESULTS Thirty seven in-depth interviews and 6 focus group discussions were conducted. The study reveals that the current operational mode of anti-malarial drug markets in Burkina Faso promotes arteminisin resistance emergence and spread. The factors are mainly related to the artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) supply chain, to ACT quality, ACT prescription monitoring and to ACT access and misuse by patients. CONCLUSION Study findings highlight the urgent requirement to reform current characteristics of the anti-malarial drug market in order to delay the emergence and spread of artemisinin resistance in Burkina Faso. Four recommendations for public policy emerged during data analysis: (1) Address the suboptimal prescription of anti-malarial drugs, (2) Apply laws that prohibit the sale of anti-malarials without prescription, (3) Restrict the availability of street drugs, (4) Sensitize the population on the value of compliance regarding correct acquisition and intake of anti-malarials. Funding systems for anti-malarial drugs in terms of availability and accessibility must also be stabilized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemonde M Guissou
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Sante, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
| | - Chanaki Amaratunga
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Freek de Haan
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Fatoumata Tou
- Institut des Sciences et Techniques, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Phaik Yeong Cheah
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - R Serge Yerbanga
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Sante, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- Institut des Sciences et Techniques, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Ellen H M Moors
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mehul Dhorda
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Paulina Tindana
- School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Wouter P C Boon
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Arjen M Dondorp
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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6
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Nguyen TD, Gao B, Amaratunga C, Dhorda M, Tran TNA, White NJ, Dondorp AM, Boni MF, Aguas R. Preventing antimalarial drug resistance with triple artemisinin-based combination therapies. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4568. [PMID: 37516752 PMCID: PMC10387089 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39914-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing levels of artemisinin and partner drug resistance threaten malaria control and elimination globally. Triple artemisinin-based combination therapies (TACTs) which combine artemisinin derivatives with two partner drugs are efficacious and well tolerated in clinical trials, including in areas of multidrug-resistant malaria. Whether early TACT adoption could delay the emergence and spread of antimalarial drug resistance is a question of vital importance. Using two independent individual-based models of Plasmodium falciparum epidemiology and evolution, we evaluated whether introduction of either artesunate-mefloquine-piperaquine or artemether-lumefantrine-amodiaquine resulted in lower long-term artemisinin-resistance levels and treatment failure rates compared with continued ACT use. We show that introduction of TACTs could significantly delay the emergence and spread of artemisinin resistance and treatment failure, extending the useful therapeutic life of current antimalarial drugs, and improving the chances of malaria elimination. We conclude that immediate introduction of TACTs should be considered by policy makers in areas of emerging artemisinin resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tran Dang Nguyen
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Bo Gao
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Chanaki Amaratunga
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Mehul Dhorda
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thu Nguyen-Anh Tran
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Nicholas J White
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Arjen M Dondorp
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Maciej F Boni
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Ricardo Aguas
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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7
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Nguyen TD, Tran TNA, Parker DM, White NJ, Boni MF. Antimalarial mass drug administration in large populations and the evolution of drug resistance. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0002200. [PMID: 37494337 PMCID: PMC10370688 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Mass drug administration (MDA) with antimalarials has been shown to reduce prevalence and interrupt transmission in small populations, in populations with reliable access to antimalarial drugs, and in populations where sustained improvements in diagnosis and treatment are possible. In addition, when MDA is effective it eliminates both drug-resistant parasites and drug-sensitive parasites, which has the long-term benefit of extending the useful therapeutic life of first-line therapies for all populations, not just the focal population where MDA was carried out. However, in order to plan elimination measures effectively, it is necessary to characterize the conditions under which failed MDA could exacerbate resistance. We use an individual-based stochastic model of Plasmodium falciparum transmission to evaluate this risk for MDA using dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-PPQ), in populations where access to antimalarial treatments may not be uniformly high and where re-importation of drug-resistant parasites may be common. We find that artemisinin-resistance evolution at the kelch13 locus can be accelerated by MDA when all three of the following conditions are met: (1) strong genetic bottlenecking that falls short of elimination, (2) re-importation of artemisinin-resistant genotypes, and (3) continued selection pressure during routine case management post-MDA. Accelerated resistance levels are not immediate but follow the rebound of malaria cases post-MDA, if this is allowed to occur. Crucially, resistance is driven by the selection pressure during routine case management post-MDA and not the selection pressure exerted during the MDA itself. Second, we find that increasing treatment coverage post-MDA increases the probability of local elimination in low-transmission regions (prevalence < 2%) in scenarios with both low and high levels of drug-resistance importation. This emphasizes the importance of planning for and supporting high coverage of diagnosis and treatment post-MDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tran Dang Nguyen
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, PA, United States of America
| | - Thu Nguyen-Anh Tran
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, PA, United States of America
| | - Daniel M Parker
- Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Nicholas J White
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Mahidol-Oxford Research Unit, Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programme, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Maciej F Boni
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, PA, United States of America
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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