1 Reporting the impact of artemisinin resistance: Molecular surveillance of pfK13 and pfEXO mutations in Plasmodium falciparum in Southern provinces of Vietnam / Tran Thi Thu Huyen, Le Van Khanh, Bui Thi Thu Hien, Nguyen Thi Lan Dung, Nguyen Van Long, Nguyen Dang Ton // .- 2023 .- Vol 21 - Number 3 .- P. 393-405 .- 610

Malaria, mainly caused by Plasmodium falciparum, is a major global health concern. In Vietnam, resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) is rising, jeopardizing malaria control efforts. This study focuses on mutations in the pfK13 and pfEXO genes, particularly the E415G mutation, in Southern Vietnam. The study involved 421 patients across two cohorts. The first, with 63 patients from Binh Phuoc and Dak Nong, had uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria and were part of the Therapeutic Efficacy Studies (TES), treated according to WHO guidelines (2009). The second cohort, comprising 358 patients from the Central Highlands, aimed to assess mutation frequency in genes linked to artemisinin resistance. Molecular marker analysis, including Sanger sequencing for pfK13 and ARMS-PCR for E415G in pfEXO, was conducted. The study also examined the association of these mutations with Day 3 parasitemia and treatment outcomes using Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine (DHA-PPQ).