Background:
Malaria remains a major public health challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, with
Plasmodium falciparum being one of the five species infecting humans. Despite
the use of antimalarial drugs in the treatment of malaria, there is an
emergence and spread of Artemisinin-resistant parasites, which have raised
serious concerns. The increasing resistance of Plasmodium species to
antimalarial drugs necessitates periodic susceptibility testing to monitor and
detect resistant strains.
Aim: This study
aimed to determine the Susceptibility to Antimalarial Drugs of Plasmodium
falciparum Isolates from Keffi Metropolis, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
Methodology: This
hospital-based descriptive study was conducted at the Department of
Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Nasarawa State
University, Keffi, between December 2024 and April 2025. A total of 385 blood
samples were collected and screened for malaria parasites by microscopy.
Species-specific screening was done using a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT). Stock
and working solutions of selected antimalarial drugs were prepared using
standard protocols. The parasite cultivation and its susceptibility to selected
antimalarial drugs were determined using the WHO protocol. Matured schizonts
were quantified. The degree of antimalarial drug inhibition of scizont
maturation was determined and the drug's 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50)
required to prevent parasite schizont maturation, indicating resistance, was
determined. Using microscopy as the gold standard, the performance of the Rapid
Diagnostic Test (RDT) was compared to it using MedCalc version 22.009
statistical package (MedCalc Software Ltd. Diagnostic test evaluation
calculator).
Results: Malaria
prevalence by microscopy was 29.9% (95% CI = 25.34 to 34.71%) and 26.7% by RDT.
The RDT had a sensitivity of 89.6% (95% CI = 82.48% to 94.49%), specificity of
100.00% (95% CI = 98.64% to 100.00%), Positive Predictive Value of 100.00% (95%
CI = 96.48% to 100.00%); and Negative Predictive Value of 95.8% (95% CI =
92.94% to 97.46%). The accuracy of the RDT was 96.88% (95% CI = 94.62 to
98.38%). Six out of the 35 isolates showed 17.1% resistance to Artemether +
Lumafantrine.
Conclusion:
Malaria is present in the study population and is resistant to some of the
antimalarial drugs in use. The need to also explore the reintroduction of
Chloroquine in the treatment of malaria may also be considered since it is
cheap, effective, readily available and a quick parasite clearance antimalarial
drug. The need for periodic antimalarial drug surveillance to determine the
efficacy of drugs in use is highly recommended.
Author(s)details:-
Igbawua IN
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences,
Nasarawa State University, P.M.B. 1022, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
Ngwai YB
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences,
Nasarawa State University, P.M.B. 1022, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
Nkene IH
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences,
Nasarawa State University, P.M.B. 1022, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
Yahaya I
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences,
Nasarawa State University, P.M.B. 1022, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
Timshana E
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences,
Nasarawa State University, P.M.B. 1022, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
IbrahimT
Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Natural and Applied
Sciences, Nasarawa State University, P.M.B. 1022, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
Please see the book here :-https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/cbrp/v8/6664
