Artemisinin-resistant malaria in Ethiopia: who gets it and why
Epidemiology and determinants of emerging artemisinin-resistant malaria in Ethiopia
This project looks at why some malaria infections in Ethiopia resist first-line artemisinin drugs and who is most likely to get them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11373840 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I go to a clinic with falciparum malaria in Ethiopia, researchers will collect blood samples and basic health and travel information from people at sites across the country to see who carries resistant parasites. They will run genetic tests to detect K13 R622I and other mutations linked to artemisinin resistance and check for pfhrp2/3 deletions that can make rapid diagnostic tests miss infections. The team will combine lab results with clinical and exposure data to identify risk factors and patterns of spread. Results will be used to inform which treatments and diagnostic tools work best in different areas.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people who present to participating Ethiopian health facilities with Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
Not a fit: People without falciparum malaria, those living outside the study areas in Ethiopia, or those with other non-falciparum infections are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help doctors choose effective medicines and improve testing to stop resistant malaria from spreading.
How similar studies have performed: Molecular surveillance has previously found K13 mutations and pfhrp2/3 deletions in Africa, so the methods are established, but simultaneous drug and diagnostic resistance in the Horn of Africa is a newer and less-tested threat.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Parr, Jonathan Boyd — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Parr, Jonathan Boyd
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.