Hepatitis B virus infection does not significantly influence Plasmodium parasite density in asymptomatic infections in Ghanaian transfusion recipients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Areas endemic for malaria and Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection largely overlap geographically. A recent study has suggested the existence of an interaction between the two pathogens in symptomatic co-infected individuals on the South-American continent. We examined this issue in a hyperendemic area for both pathogens in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methodology and findings

Pre-transfusion samples from a retrospective cohort of 154 blood transfusion recipients were screened for both serological and molecular markers of HBV and Plasmodium genomes using species-specific nested PCR and quantitative real-time PCR. Thirty-seven individuals met exclusion criteria and were subsequently eliminated from further analysis. Of 117 participants, 90% of recipients exhibited evidence of

SUBMITTER: Freimanis GL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3503819 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature