ABSTRACT
We investigated and compared genetic variations in Plasmodium falciparum multidrug resistance 1 gene (Pfmdr 1) in patients showing good therapeutic response (GTR) and artemisinin resistance (AR) following artemether-lumefantrine (AL) treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Nigeria. Some 150 malaria patients were subjected to AL treatment and therapeutic efficacy was monitored for 28 days. Parasite genomic DNA was isolated followed by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Genotyping of Pfmdr 1 gene for specific genetic variants: N86Y, Y184F, S1034C and N1042D were done using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).Out of 121 patients that were P. falciparum positive, 46 % (56) and 54 % (65) showed good therapeutic response and artemisinin resistance respectively, with 5.4 % and 98.3 % being mutated in the GTR and AR group respectively. The most prevalent mutations were Y184F (44.1 %) and N86Y (40.7 %). There was significant increase (p<0.001) in the prevalence of Pfmdr 1 mutation in the post treatment compared to the pre-treatment group.Prevalence of Pfmdr1 86Y and 184F alleles is associated with artemisinin resistance and presence of AL drug significantly induced genetic variation in the plasmodial gene.