We will develop a ligase chain reaction (LCR) method to detect mutations in the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene of Plasmodium falciparum. Mutations at codon 108 of this gene have been shown to correlate with pyrimethamine resistance. The specific aims of the project are to develop an LCR method for detection of DHFR mutations, test the LCR method against both known drug sensitive and resistant isolates and assay uncharacterized isolates for drug resistance. Technical innovations would be introduced to make the assay rapid, affordable, and easy to perform and interpret.National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
