The fate of drug resistant mutations depends on factors which we may be able to control, such as the rate and pattern of drug use. However, it also depends on factors over which we have no control, the most important of which is the biologic al cost that resistance imposes on the fitness of parasites. Drug resistance mutations are known to disrupt the parasite's metabolism, generating fitness costs. In drug-treated hosts these costs are largely compensated by the benefits conferred by the resistance. In untreated hosts, however, the magnitude of these costs will determine whether these mutations will persist and spread in the population. The aim of this project is to investigate the biological costs of drug resistance in Plasmodium within the host, both in the field (Cameroun and Burkina Faso), and in the lab.
Project funding: ANR EVODRUG (16-CE36-0001-01) 2016-2021
[Photo credit: Rivero lab]