Menegon Michela, Sannella Anna Rosa, Severini Carlo, Paglia Maria Grazia, Matteelli Alberto, Caramello Pietro, Severini Francesco, Taramelli Donatella, Majori Giancarlo
Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie ed Immunomediate, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma.
Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2006;42(2):203-10.
The emergence of Plasmodium falciparum drug-resistance, especially chloroquine resistance, represents one of the main obstacles to the control of malaria. Several studies have shown that in P. falciparum the mechanism of chloroquine resistance is linked to specific point mutations in the pfcrt gene of the parasite. In the present study we have analyzed 120 Italian imported malaria cases to evaluate the prevalence of 76T and 220S mutantions in the pfcrt gene. Moreover, the correlation between the presence of pfcrt point mutations and in vitro chloroquine resistance has been evaluated on 25 plasmodial isolates. The results showed a high prevalence of the pfcrt point mutations in isolates analyzed and a significant association between point mutations and in vitro chloroquine resistance. Molecular screening on imported malaria cases can be a useful tool to be employed in surveillance activity and also in monitoring the development and spread of drug resistance in endemic areas.
恶性疟原虫耐药性的出现，尤其是氯喹耐药性，是疟疾控制的主要障碍之一。多项研究表明，在恶性疟原虫中，氯喹耐药机制与该寄生虫pfcrt基因中的特定点突变有关。在本研究中，我们分析了120例意大利输入性疟疾病例，以评估pfcrt基因中76T和220S突变的流行情况。此外，还对25个疟原虫分离株评估了pfcrt点突变的存在与体外氯喹耐药性之间的相关性。结果显示，在所分析的分离株中pfcrt点突变的流行率很高，并且点突变与体外氯喹耐药性之间存在显著关联。对输入性疟疾病例进行分子筛查可作为一种有用的工具，用于监测活动以及监测流行地区耐药性的发展和传播。
