A nested real-time PCR assay for the quantification of Plasmodium falciparum DNA extracted from dried blood spots.

ABSTRACT:

Background

As public health efforts seek to eradicate malaria, there has been an emphasis on eliminating low-density parasite reservoirs in asymptomatic carriers. As such, diagnosing submicroscopic Plasmodium infections using PCR-based techniques has become important not only in clinical trials of malaria vaccines and therapeutics, but also in active malaria surveillance campaigns. However, PCR-based quantitative assays that rely on nucleic acid extracted from dried blood spots (DBS) have demonstrated lower sensitivity than assays that use cryopreserved whole blood as source material.

Methods

The density of Plasmodium falciparum asexual parasites was quantified using genomic DNA extracted from dried blood spots (DBS) and the sensitivity of two approaches was compared: quanti

SUBMITTER: Tran TM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4197274 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature