An international team of scientists has discovered a new type of malaria parasite in Uganda that has undergone new mutations that help it resist the most effective drugs.
According to Brown University's press office, scientists studied more than 150 blood samples from malaria patients and discovered five mutations in the PX1 gene. Experiments showed that these mutations significantly increase the Plasmodium parasite's resistance to artemisinin, lumefantrine, and other drugs.
The spread of drug-resistant malaria strains was previously linked primarily to mutations in the KELCH13 gene. New data suggests an additional mechanism for drug resistance. To assess the prevalence of these mutations, researchers analyzed nearly 1,500 Plasmodium parasite samples collected in Uganda between 2004 and 2024. According to them, the specific changes in the parasite's genome emerged in the mid-2000s and then began to spread rapidly.
PX1 mutations are currently found in about half of the Plasmodium strains in western and eastern Uganda. Scientists believe that the spread of resistance may reduce the effectiveness of treatment and increase the incidence of the disease.
Researchers emphasize the need to develop new treatments and diagnostic methods for artemisinin- and lumefantrine-resistant forms of malaria.
