Plasmodium vinckei:: Selection of a strain exhibiting stable resistance to arteether

A strain of rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium vinckei showing > 12-fold resistance to arteether has been selected after exposure to sub-curative doses of drug in 44 sequential passages over a period of 700 days. Experimentally induced resistance was found to be stable after drug free maintenance of parasites for I I serial passages over a period of 100 days. Cross-sensitivity studies have shown that apart form resistance to related derivatives like artemether and artesunic acid, the derived parasites also show resistance to quinine and mefloquine. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.