Transmission of Artemisinin-Resistant Malaria Parasites to Mosquitoes under Antimalarial Drug Pressure.

Resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) in the parasite is threatening to reverse recent gains in reducing global deaths from malaria. While resistance manifests as delayed parasite clearance in patients, the phenotype can only spread geographically via the sexual stages and mosquito transmission. In addition to their asexual killing properties, artemisinin and its derivatives sterilize sexual male gametocytes.