Absence of K13 polymorphism in plasmodium falciparum from brazilian areas where the parasite is endemic

Abstract

Plasmodium falciparum artemisinin-resistant parasites can be evaluated by examining polymorphisms in the kelch (PfK13) domain. A total of 69 samples from patients with falciparum malaria were analyzed. All samples were from areas in states in Brazil where the parasite was endemic: Acre (n = 14), Amapá (n = 15), Amazonas (n = 30), and Pará (n = 10). After DNA alignment with the 3D7 reference sequence, all samples were found to be wild type. These data provide a baseline for PfK13 and reinforce the pertinence of artemisinin combination therapy in Brazilian areas.