Lee, T. E., & Penny, M. A. (2018). Identifying key factors of the transmission dynamics of drug-resistant malaria. Journal of theoretical biology.

Abstract: Development of resistance to malaria treatments remains a great threat to continued malaria burden re- duction and elimination. Quantifying the impact of key factors which increase the emergence and spread of drug resistance can guide intervention strategies. Whilst modelling provides a framework to under- stand these factors, we show that a simple of model with a sensitive–resistant dichotomy leads to in- correctly focusing on reducing the treatment rate as a means to prevent resistance. Instead we present a model that considers the development of resistance within hosts as a scale, and we then quantify the number of resistant infections that would arise from a single sensitive infection. By including just one step before full resistance, the model highlights that disrupting this development is more effective than reducing treatment rate. This result is compounded when the model includes the more realistic scenario of several intermediary steps. An additional comparison to transmission probabilities, where resistant infections are less likely to be transmitted (cost of resistance), confirms that preventing the establish- ment of resistance is more effective than controlling the spread. Our work strongly advocates for further studies into within-host models of resistance, including the potential of combination therapies to disrupt emergence.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30381147