African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (4), pp. 361-366, April 2005          
ISSN 1684–5315 © 2005 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Pattern of rural-urban acquisition of pfcrt T76 allele among Nigerian children with acute uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria

Olukosi, Y.A¹; Iwalokun, B.A²; Magbagbeola, E.O¹; Akinwande, O¹; Adewole, TA³; Agomo, PU³.

¹ Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Lagos P.M.B. 12003 Idi-Araba,  Lagos, Nigeria

² Department of Biochemistry, Lagos State University P.M.B. 1087 Apapa – Lagos, Nigeria.

³ Department of Biochemistry, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) 6, Edmund Crescent Street P.M.B. 2016, Yaba Lagos – Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: yaolukosi@yahoo.co.uk.

 Accepted January 30, 2005

Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum remains a public health problem in Nigerian children with treatment complicated by expansion of chloroquine resistant strains known to harbour a common K76T point mutation in their pfcrt alleles. Here, we report the outcome of a 2 – year (March 2000 – February 2002) molecular surveillance for pfcrtT76 in children aged 6 months – 13 years with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in rural and urban Lagos, Nigeria.  Rural-urban pfcrtT76 acquisition of 48.7 vs. 73.7% and 67.3 vs. 74.6% due to monoclonal and polyclonal P. falciparum parasitaemia, respectively, were found in the two study years, suggesting unstable but increasing prevalence of pfcrt T76 allele acquisition in the rural area. Further analyses showed that acquisition of pfcrtT76 allele was independent of sex but occurred more in ≤ 5 – year old children than older children in both populations. The impacts of K76T mutation in pfcrt gene and immunity on the clinical efficacy of chloroquine against acute uncomplicated malaria are discussed.

Key words: pfcrt T76 mutation, Plasmodium falciparum malaria, chloroquine resistance, Nigerian children.