An allele-specific, one tube PCR for the sensitive and reliable detection of point mutations in Plasmodium falciparum DNA
is described. Design of specific internal primers and optimization of the PCR is simple, and the procedure is robust and
sensitive. Single nucleotide polymorphisms at codons 184, 1034, 1042 and 1246 of the P. falciparum multidrug resistance
gene Pfmdr1, were examined in 6 laboratory isolates, to validate the technique.