Multiplicity and diversity of Plasmodium vivax infections in a highly endemic region in Papua New Guinea.

ABSTRACT: Plasmodium vivax is highly endemic in the lowlands of Papua New Guinea and accounts for a large proportion of the malaria cases in children less than 5 years of age. We collected 2117 blood samples at 2-monthly intervals from a cohort of 268 children aged 1 to 4.5 years and estimated the diversity and multiplicity of P. vivax infection. All P. vivax clones were genotyped using the merozoite surface protein 1 F3 fragment (msp1F3) and the microsatellite MS16 as molecular markers. High diversity was observed with msp1F3 (H(E) = 88.1%) and MS16 (H(E) = 97.8%). Of the 1162 P. vivax positive samples, 74% harbored multi-clone infections with a mean multiplicity of 2.7 (IQR = 1-3). The multiplicity of P. vivax infection increased slightly with age (P = 0.02), with the strongest increase in very yo

SUBMITTER: Koepfli C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3243695 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature