Genetic confirmation of atovaquone-proguanil-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria acquired by a nonimmune traveler to East Africa

Abstract

We report a case of atovaquone-proguanil-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria acquired by a nonimmune traveler to Kenya. Recurrent parasitemia occurred 30 days after directly observed therapy with a combination of atovaquone and proguanil. Treatment failure was confirmed by genetic fingerprinting and sequencing. The primary isolate had wild-type sequence of cytochrome b; however, the recrudescent isolate had a single mutation at position 268 (Tyr268Ser).