April 1, 2025
“Genetic surveillance of P. falciparum populations following treatment policy revisions in the Greater Mekong Subregion” with Varanya Wasakul
Genetic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum can track antimalarial-resistant strains, informing decision-making by National Malaria Control Programmes. The GenRe-Mekong project analyzed 5,982 Pf samples from the Greater Mekong Subregion (2017–2022), genotyping drug resistance markers and genetic barcodes. Using the grcMalaria R package, the study revealed a rapid decline in Pf incidence since 2020, alongside the disappearance of DHA-PPQ-resistant lineages. Plasmepsin2/3 amplifications, linked to piperaquine resistance, fell from 62% (2017–2019) to 2% (2022), coinciding with a switch in frontline therapy in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. While artemisinin resistance remained high, no emerging mefloquine resistance was detected. These findings demonstrate the value of routine genetic surveillance in guiding malaria control efforts.
“Genetic Surveillance of P. vivax in the Greater Mekong Subregion” with Ethan Booth
Genetic surveillance of malaria in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) has largely focused on Plasmodium falciparum, leaving the genetic epidemiology of Plasmodium vivax (Pv)—now the dominant malaria species in the region—relatively unexplored. In collaboration with Associate Professor Sarah Auburn from Menzies School of Health Research, we developed a Pv bioinformatics pipeline capable of calling SNP variants, identifying malaria species, and generating standardized genetic surveillance data from Pv amplicon sequences. Analysis revealed that most Pv samples carried the wild-type MDR1 Y976 allele (83.1%) and the MDR1 F1076L mutation (63.7%). Additionally, diversity maps indicated local clonal expansions in multiple districts in Vietnam and Laos. These progress mark a crucial step toward understanding Pv population dynamics in the GMS.