Assessment of Malaria Infection Prevalence, Parasite Genetic Diversity, and Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum Resistance Markers During Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention in Children Living in Saponé, Burkina Faso

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Résumé

Background: Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), consisting of a combination of sulfadoxine pyrimethamine (SP) and amodiaquine (AQ), aims to reduce morbidity and mortality, in children under five years of age. The present study aims to assess Plasmodium falciparum’s level of genetic diversity and the dynamics of parasite-resistance-associated mutations during SMC implementation in children living in Saponé, Burkina Faso. Methods: The study included 222 children aged 3 to 59 months under SMC in the Saponé health district. Parasite DNA was extracted from the blood spots using the QIAamp® DNA Blood Mini Kit, and genetic diversity was determined by nested PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) of P. falciparum msp-1 and msp-2 genes, while molecular markers of resistance were analyzed based on PCR/RFLPs. Results: The molecular results showed that the prevalence of malaria infection by PCR averaged 17.43% ± 0.30 during the SMC. The study revealed a high genetic diversity of the parasite during SMC. The value of the complexity of the msp-1 and msp-2 genes decreased during the SMC rounds, reflecting a reduction in malaria transmission during this strategy. The prevalence of single-nucleotide polymorphism mutations associated with SP+AQ (sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine + amodiaquine) resistance was very low or nil during our study. However, the prevalence of the Pfdhfr59 mutation was very high, standing at an average of 91. Conclusions: The prevalence of mutations in genes associated with parasite resistance to SP+AQ was low in the study population during SMC. Therefore, the sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine drug combination used in SMC still remains appropriate for the treatment of malaria in children under five years old in Burkina Faso.

Mots-clés

Malaria ; polymorphism; SMC; resistance markers; Saponé; Burkina Faso