Genetic Diversity of Potential Drug Resistance Markers in <i>Plasmodium vivax</i> Isolates from Panama, Mesoamerica
This study evaluated the genetic diversity and potential drug resistance markers in <i>Plasmodium vivax</i> isolates from Panama, a country in Mesoamerica, aiming to eliminate local malaria transmission. We analyzed 70 <i>P. vivax</i> samples collected between 2004 and 2020 f...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/3/231 |
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| Summary: | This study evaluated the genetic diversity and potential drug resistance markers in <i>Plasmodium vivax</i> isolates from Panama, a country in Mesoamerica, aiming to eliminate local malaria transmission. We analyzed 70 <i>P. vivax</i> samples collected between 2004 and 2020 from endemic regions in Eastern and Western Panama, as well as imported cases. Four drug resistance genes (<i>pvcrt-o</i>, <i>pvmdr1</i>, <i>pvdhfr</i>, and <i>pvdhps</i>) were sequenced and analyzed. Our findings reveal low genetic diversity in <i>P. vivax</i> populations from Western Panama, indicating clonal expansion, while Eastern Panama exhibits higher diversity, influenced by higher transmission rates and imported cases. No mutations were detected in <i>pvcrt-o</i>, and the prevalence of <i>pvmdr1</i> mutations (Y976F and F1076L) linked to chloroquine was observed at low frequencies, primarily in imported samples. In <i>pvdhfr</i>, antifolate-resistant mutations S117N and S58R were detected in 14.3% of samples, predominantly from Eastern Panama near the Colombian border. Phylogenetic and haplotype network analyses highlighted distinct genetic clustering, supporting the influence of imported cases on local parasite diversity. These results provide a baseline for the molecular surveillance of <i>P. vivax</i> in Panama and emphasize the need for the continued monitoring of genetic diversity and drug resistance to guide regional malaria elimination efforts, particularly in areas with high cross-border migration. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-0817 |