Malaria remains one of the leading health problems of the developing world, and Uganda bears a particularly large burden from the disease. Our understanding is limited by a lack of reliable data, but it is clear that the prevalence of malaria infection, incidence of disease, and mortality from severe malaria all remain very high. Uganda has made progress in implementing key malaria control measures, in particular distribution of insecticide impregnated bednets, indoor residual spraying of insecticides, utilization of artemisinin-based combination therapy to treat uncomplicated malaria, and provision of intermittent preventive therapy for pregnant women. However, despite enthusiasm regarding the potential for the elimination of malaria in other areas, there is no convincing evidence that the burden of malaria has decreased in Uganda in recent years. Major challenges to malaria control in Uganda include very high malaria transmission intensity, inadequate health care resources, a weak health system, inadequate understanding of malaria epidemiology and the impact of control interventions, increasing resistance of parasites to drugs and of mosquitoes to insecticides, inappropriate case management, inadequate utilization of drugs to prevent malaria, and inadequate epidemic preparedness and response. Despite these challenges, prospects for the control of malaria have improved, and with attention to underlying challenges, progress toward the control of malaria in Uganda can be expected.
Background In Uganda artemether-lumefantrine is recommended for malaria treatment and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for chemoprevention during pregnancy, but drug resistance may limit efficacies. Methods Genetic polymorphisms associated with sensitivities to key drugs were characterized in samples collected from 16 sites across Uganda in 2018 and 2019 by ligase detection reaction fluorescent microsphere, molecular inversion probe, dideoxy sequencing, and qPCR assays. Results Considering transporter polymorphisms associated with resistance to aminoquinolines, the prevalence of PfCRT 76T decreased, but varied markedly between sites (0-48% in 2018; 0-22% in 2019); additional PfCRT polymorphisms and plasmepsin-2/3 amplifications associated elsewhere with resistance to piperaquine were not seen. For PfMDR1, in 2019 the 86Y mutation was absent at all sites, the 1246Y mutation had prevalence ≤20% at 14/16 sites, and gene amplification was not seen. Considering mutations associated with high level SP resistance, prevalences of PfDHFR 164L (up to 80%) and PfDHPS 581G (up to 67%) were high at multiple sites. Considering PfK13 propeller domain mutations associated with artemisinin delayed clearance, prevalence of the 469Y and 675V mutations has increased at multiple sites in northern Uganda (up to 23% and 40%, respectively). Conclusions We demonstrate concerning spread of mutations that may limit efficacies of key antimalarial drugs.
The evolutionary history of the human pygmy phenotype (small body size), a characteristic of African and Southeast Asian rainforest hunter-gatherers, is largely unknown. Here we use a genome-wide admixture mapping analysis to identify 16 genomic regions that are significantly associated with the pygmy phenotype in the Batwa, a rainforest hunter-gatherer population from Uganda (east central Africa). The identified genomic regions have multiple attributes that provide supporting evidence of genuine association with the pygmy phenotype, including enrichments for SNPs previously associated with stature variation in Europeans and for genes with growth hormone receptor and regulation functions. To test adaptive evolutionary hypotheses, we computed the haplotypebased integrated haplotype score (iHS) statistic and the level of population differentiation (F ST ) between the Batwa and their agricultural neighbors, the Bakiga, for each genomic SNP. Both jiHSj and F ST values were significantly higher for SNPs within the Batwa pygmy phenotype-associated regions than the remainder of the genome, a signature of polygenic adaptation. In contrast, when we expanded our analysis to include Baka rainforest hunter-gatherers from Cameroon and Gabon (west central Africa) and Nzebi and Nzime neighboring agriculturalists, we did not observe elevated jiHSj or F ST values in these genomic regions. Together, these results suggest adaptive and at least partially convergent origins of the pygmy phenotype even within Africa, supporting the hypothesis that small body size confers a selective advantage for tropical rainforest hunter-gatherers but raising questions about the antiquity of this behavior.human evolutionary ecology | human hunter-gatherers | population genomics | convergent evolution
BackgroundMalaria rapid diagnostic tests based on histidine-rich protein-2 have played a vital role in improving malaria case management and surveillance particularly in Africa, where Plasmodium falciparum is predominant. However, their usefulness has been threatened by the emergence of gene deletion on P. falciparum histidine rich protein 2 (pfhrp2) and P. falciparum histidine rich protein 3 (pfhrp3). Use of standard and recommended methods is key for accurate investigation, confirmation and reporting of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 gene deletion.MethodsA systematic review was conducted to assess the status, methods and approaches that have been used for investigation, confirmation and reporting of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 gene deletion in Africa. An online search was done using PubMed and MEDLINE Google Scholar for all articles published in English on pfhrp2/3 gene deletion in Africa. Relevant articles that met the inclusion criteria were summarized and assessed based on the protocol recommended by the World Health Organization for confirmation and reporting of pfhrp2/3 gene deletion.ResultsThe search identified a total of 18 articles out of which 14 (77.7%) fulfilled the criteria for inclusion and were retained for review. The articles were distributed across 12 countries where the pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 gene deletion studies were conducted and reported. The level of pfhrp2/3 gene deletion across selected studies in Africa ranged from the highest 62% to the lowest 0.4%. There was wide variation in methods and approaches including study designs, size and sampling and whether both pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 double deletions or pfhrp2 single deletion were investigated, with a wide variation in laboratory methods.ConclusionBased on the review, there is evidence of the presence of pfhrp2/3 gene-deleted P. falciparum parasites in Africa. The approaches and methods used for investigation, confirmation and reporting of pfhrp2/3 deleted parasites have varied between studies and across countries. Countries that are considering plans to investigate, confirm and report pfhrp2/3 deletion should use recommended standard and harmonized methods to prevent unnecessary recommendations for costly switch of RDTs in Africa.
Background : In order to reduce malaria-related morbidity and mortality during pregnancy, WHO recommends : Insecticide-treated mosquito nets, Intermittent Preventive Treatment of malaria in pregnancy, Prompt and effective case management. Nevertheless, several cases of resistance to Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine, used in intermittent preventive treatment, and to Chloroquine are reported in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The prevalence of malaria among pregnant women remains high in Africa in general, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo in particular. This issue leads us to conduct this study, which aims at proposing an alternative to SP for preventing malaria in pregnant women. Materials and methods : From June 1 to October 31, 2019, we enrolled pregnant women from five health facilities in Kisangani for randomized, single-blind controlled clinical trials to compare the efficacy of two intermittent preventive treatment regimens in Kisangani pregnant women, selected before 18 th weeks of amenorrhea. The first regimen consists of 4 doses of Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine starting at the selection time and spaced at least 4 weeks during pregnancy. Each dose is made of 3 tablets of 525 mg Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine. The second regimen consists of 2 doses of Mefloquine during pregnancy. The first dose is taken at the selection time and the second dose between the 28 th and 32 nd weeks of amenorrhea. Each dose is made of 3 tablets of 250 mg Mefloquine. The efficacy criteria for these two regimens are placental malaria parasitemia, low birth weight of newborn and maternal anemia at delivery. The safety criterion was the occurrence of major side effects. Discussion : There are not enough randomized clinical trials assessing the efficacy of Mefloquine for the intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in African pregnant women, hence the recommendation for clinical trials. The present study is the only one that conducts such assessment in a hyper-endemic area with resistance to Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine and Chloroquine. The findings are therefore intended to promote the use of Mefloquine as the best alternative to Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine in the intermittent preventive treatment of malaria. Clinical trial registration :
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