Clonal diversity in single isolates of Malaysian Plasmodium falciparum

Six clones were derived from each of five isolates of Malaysian Plasmodium falciparum and characterized with regard to susceptibility to schizontocidal drugs, chloroquine, mefloquine, and quinine. The 5 isolates were found to be resistant to chloroquine and sensitive to mefloquine and quinine. Most of the clones displayed susceptibility patterns similar to those of their parent isolate, except ST9/D8 clone which became sensitive to chloroquine, C/C10 and ST148/A5 clones which became resistant to mefloquine and to quinine respectively. This diversity in susceptibility to schizontocidal drugs would likely have been overlooked by assessment of natural uncloned isolates against antimalarial drugs.