Multiple-clone activation of hypnozoites is the leading cause of relapse in Plasmodium vivax infection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Plasmodium vivax infection is characterized by a dormant hepatic stage, the hypnozoite that is activated at varying periods of time after clearance of the primary acute blood-stage, resulting in relapse. Differentiation between treatment failure and new infections requires characterization of initial infections, relapses, and clone multiplicity in vivax malaria infections.

Methodology/principal findings

Parasite DNA obtained from primary/relapse paired blood samples of 30 patients with P. vivax infection in Brazil was analyzed using 10 molecular markers (8 microsatellites and MSP-1 blocks 2 and 10). Cloning of PCR products and genotyping was used to identify low-frequency clones of parasites. We demonstrated a high frequency of multiple-clone infections in both pr

SUBMITTER: de Araujo FC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3503861 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature