Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum populations following treatment policy revisions in the Greater Mekong Subregion
Abstract Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) can track antimalarial-resistant strains, to inform decision-making by National Malaria Control Programmes (NMCPs). The GenRe-Mekong project prospectively collected 5982 samples in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) between 2017 and 2022, g...
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2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59946-1 |
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| author | Varanya Wasakul Tess D. Verschuuren Nguyen Thuy-Nhien Ethan Booth Huynh Hong Quang Ngo Duc Thang Keobouphaphone Chindavongsa Siv Sovannaroth Virasak Banouvong Viengphone Sengsavath Mayfong Mayxay Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen Vo Ngoc Lam Phuong Pham Duc Trung Sónia Gonçalves Soun Chen Sonexay Phalivong Saiamphone Xayvanghang Supaporn Mahaphontrakoon Richard D. Pearson Paul N. Newton Richard J. Maude Elizabeth A. Ashley Cristina V. Ariani Victoria J. Simpson Nicholas P. Day Arjen M. Dondorp Olivo Miotto |
| author_facet | Varanya Wasakul Tess D. Verschuuren Nguyen Thuy-Nhien Ethan Booth Huynh Hong Quang Ngo Duc Thang Keobouphaphone Chindavongsa Siv Sovannaroth Virasak Banouvong Viengphone Sengsavath Mayfong Mayxay Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen Vo Ngoc Lam Phuong Pham Duc Trung Sónia Gonçalves Soun Chen Sonexay Phalivong Saiamphone Xayvanghang Supaporn Mahaphontrakoon Richard D. Pearson Paul N. Newton Richard J. Maude Elizabeth A. Ashley Cristina V. Ariani Victoria J. Simpson Nicholas P. Day Arjen M. Dondorp Olivo Miotto |
| author_sort | Varanya Wasakul |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) can track antimalarial-resistant strains, to inform decision-making by National Malaria Control Programmes (NMCPs). The GenRe-Mekong project prospectively collected 5982 samples in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) between 2017 and 2022, genotyping drug resistance markers, and barcodes that recapitulate genetic variation. Genotypes were analyzed with the grcMalaria R package, first described in this paper, to translate genetic epidemiology data into actionable visual information. Since 2020, Pf incidences decreased rapidly, accompanied by a decline of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-PPQ) resistant lineages, previously dominant in the eastern GMS. The frequency of plasmepsin2/3 amplifications, conferring piperaquine resistance, dropped from 62% in 2017-2019 to 2% in 2022, coinciding with a switch in frontline therapy in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. While regional artemisinin resistance levels remained high, no evidence of emerging mefloquine resistance was found. Routine genetic surveillance proved valuable in monitoring rapid parasite population changes in response to public health interventions, providing actionable information for NMCPs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dd39a3cea22f4776825087cf43fd600b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-dd39a3cea22f4776825087cf43fd600b2025-08-20T01:53:19ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-05-0116111210.1038/s41467-025-59946-1Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum populations following treatment policy revisions in the Greater Mekong SubregionVaranya Wasakul0Tess D. Verschuuren1Nguyen Thuy-Nhien2Ethan Booth3Huynh Hong Quang4Ngo Duc Thang5Keobouphaphone Chindavongsa6Siv Sovannaroth7Virasak Banouvong8Viengphone Sengsavath9Mayfong Mayxay10Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen11Vo Ngoc Lam Phuong12Pham Duc Trung13Sónia Gonçalves14Soun Chen15Sonexay Phalivong16Saiamphone Xayvanghang17Supaporn Mahaphontrakoon18Richard D. Pearson19Paul N. Newton20Richard J. Maude21Elizabeth A. Ashley22Cristina V. Ariani23Victoria J. Simpson24Nicholas P. Day25Arjen M. Dondorp26Olivo Miotto27Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityOxford University Clinical Research UnitMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityInstitute of Malariology, Parasitology and EntomologyNational Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and EntomologyCentre for Malariology, Parasitology and EntomologyNational Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria ControlCentre for Malariology, Parasitology and EntomologyCentre for Malariology, Parasitology and EntomologyLao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot HospitalOxford University Clinical Research UnitOxford University Clinical Research UnitOxford University Clinical Research UnitWellcome Sanger InstituteNational Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria ControlLao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot HospitalLao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot HospitalMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityWellcome Sanger InstituteLao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot HospitalMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityLao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot HospitalWellcome Sanger InstituteWellcome Sanger InstituteMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityAbstract Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) can track antimalarial-resistant strains, to inform decision-making by National Malaria Control Programmes (NMCPs). The GenRe-Mekong project prospectively collected 5982 samples in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) between 2017 and 2022, genotyping drug resistance markers, and barcodes that recapitulate genetic variation. Genotypes were analyzed with the grcMalaria R package, first described in this paper, to translate genetic epidemiology data into actionable visual information. Since 2020, Pf incidences decreased rapidly, accompanied by a decline of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-PPQ) resistant lineages, previously dominant in the eastern GMS. The frequency of plasmepsin2/3 amplifications, conferring piperaquine resistance, dropped from 62% in 2017-2019 to 2% in 2022, coinciding with a switch in frontline therapy in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. While regional artemisinin resistance levels remained high, no evidence of emerging mefloquine resistance was found. Routine genetic surveillance proved valuable in monitoring rapid parasite population changes in response to public health interventions, providing actionable information for NMCPs.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59946-1 |
| spellingShingle | Varanya Wasakul Tess D. Verschuuren Nguyen Thuy-Nhien Ethan Booth Huynh Hong Quang Ngo Duc Thang Keobouphaphone Chindavongsa Siv Sovannaroth Virasak Banouvong Viengphone Sengsavath Mayfong Mayxay Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen Vo Ngoc Lam Phuong Pham Duc Trung Sónia Gonçalves Soun Chen Sonexay Phalivong Saiamphone Xayvanghang Supaporn Mahaphontrakoon Richard D. Pearson Paul N. Newton Richard J. Maude Elizabeth A. Ashley Cristina V. Ariani Victoria J. Simpson Nicholas P. Day Arjen M. Dondorp Olivo Miotto Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum populations following treatment policy revisions in the Greater Mekong Subregion Nature Communications |
| title | Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum populations following treatment policy revisions in the Greater Mekong Subregion |
| title_full | Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum populations following treatment policy revisions in the Greater Mekong Subregion |
| title_fullStr | Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum populations following treatment policy revisions in the Greater Mekong Subregion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum populations following treatment policy revisions in the Greater Mekong Subregion |
| title_short | Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum populations following treatment policy revisions in the Greater Mekong Subregion |
| title_sort | genetic surveillance of plasmodium falciparum populations following treatment policy revisions in the greater mekong subregion |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59946-1 |
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