Ga. Butcher et al., Inhibition of the mosquito transmission of Plasmodium berghei by Malarone (TM) (atovaquone-proguanil), ANN TROP M, 94(5), 2000, pp. 429-436
Citations number
9
Categorie Soggetti
Envirnomentale Medicine & Public Health","Medical Research General Topics
Sera from patients treated with atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone(TM)) have pr
eviously been shown to inhibit the mosquito transmission of Plasmodium falc
iparum, though the inhibition was not complete and the effect declined 2 we
eks after treatment. In marked contrast, the inhibition of transmission of
P. berghei by human sera (fed to mosquitoes, with P. berghei gametocytes, v
ia membrane feeders) from volunteers treated with atovaquone-proguanil was
total up to day 28 post-treatment and still very significant at day 56. In
view of the short half-lives of atovaquone and proguanil, this was unexpect
ed, and further experiments, reported here, were undertaken. In contrast to
the incomplete blockade of infectivity of P. falciparum by serum taken 4 d
ays post-treatment, such serum was totally inhibitory against P. berghei at
a 1:10 000 dilution, indicating a remarkable sensitivity of P. berghei and
demonstrating an unusual difference between the two Plasmodium species in
response to a drug. The inhibitory effect on P. berghei after day 4 was cau
sed by atovaquone and mainly through blockade of development from ookinete
to oocyst. Despite previous information on the rapid elimination of atovaqu
one by patients, the present data indicate that low concentrations of this
drug may persist in the plasma for some weeks after treatment.