In vitro sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to eight antimalarials in China-Myanmar and China-Lao PDR border areas.

In 1991-1995 by using the Rieckmann in vitro micro-method, susceptibilities of Plasmodium falciparum to eight antimalarials in the China-Lao PDR and China-Myanmar border areas were tested. The resistant rates of P. falciparum to chloroquinine were 95.0%-100%; IC50 114-240nmol/l. P. falciparum resistant rates to amodiaquine resistance accounted for 83.5%-100%, IC50 52-72nmol/l. All cases were sensitive to quinine, IC50 470-608nmol/l. P. falciparum isolates from the Lao PDR frontier were highly sensitive to artesunate, dihydroartemisinin, and arteether. Resistant rates from other areas were 0-11%. P. falciparum from China-Myanmar and Lao PDR border areas were also sensitive to mefloquine, IC50 68-88nmol/l. A longitudinal survey of the sensitivity of P. falciparum in vivo on the China-Lao PDR border showed that the average defervescent time of falciparum malaria was treated by pyronaridine increased from 32.7 +/- 16.0 hours during 1984-85 to 56.2 +/- 27.4 hours in 1995; the recrudescence rate rose up from 15.2% to 37.5%. The results monitored in vitro showed that all cases assessed in 1988 for response to pyronaridine were sensitive, but 36.4% of cases had emerging resistance, IC50 increased from 13nmol/l to 40 nmol/l. The above results suggested that P. falciparum in these areas has expressed resistance to chloroquine and amodiaquine. However, the parasites are still sensitive to artemisinin, pyronaridine, mefloquine, quinine, but with a declining sensitivities.