Population structure of Plasmodium falciparum isolates during an epidemic in southern Mauritania

TY - JOUR

T1 - Population structure of Plasmodium falciparum isolates during an epidemic in southern Mauritania

AU - Jordan, S

AU - Jelinek, T

AU - Aida, A O

AU - Peyerl-Hoffmann, G

AU - Heuschkel, C

AU - el Valy, A O

AU - Christophel, E M

PY - 2001/10

Y1 - 2001/10

N2 - While the population structure of Plasmodium falciparum is well analysed in selected areas with high malaria endemicity in East and West Africa, only limited data are available for low endemicity regions bordering the Saharan desert. This is one of the first studies for the Sahel, where atypically strong rainfalls in 1998 and 1999 led to a severe outbreak of falciparum malaria in south-east Mauritania. During a study on in vivo-drug resistance against chloroquine we collected blood samples of patients with fever in two medical centres located in non-endemic and hypoendemic areas. We analysed 386 samples by polymerase chain reaction for infection with P. falciparum, and 173 (45%) tested positive. The isolates were genotyped for three polymorphic genetic markers: merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1), MSP2 and glutamate-rich protein (GLURP). Differences between the two regions could be shown in either number of clones per infection or in their distribution on the different allelic groups. While the mean minimal number of clones in the non-endemic region around Aioun was 1.57, blood samples collected in the hypoendemic region around Kobeni showed multiple infections with an average of 2.34 clones (P < 0.001). In addition, clear differences between endemic regions were apparent in three of the investigated allelic groups: RO33 of the MSP1 gene and FC and Indochina of the MSP2 gene.

AB - While the population structure of Plasmodium falciparum is well analysed in selected areas with high malaria endemicity in East and West Africa, only limited data are available for low endemicity regions bordering the Saharan desert. This is one of the first studies for the Sahel, where atypically strong rainfalls in 1998 and 1999 led to a severe outbreak of falciparum malaria in south-east Mauritania. During a study on in vivo-drug resistance against chloroquine we collected blood samples of patients with fever in two medical centres located in non-endemic and hypoendemic areas. We analysed 386 samples by polymerase chain reaction for infection with P. falciparum, and 173 (45%) tested positive. The isolates were genotyped for three polymorphic genetic markers: merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1), MSP2 and glutamate-rich protein (GLURP). Differences between the two regions could be shown in either number of clones per infection or in their distribution on the different allelic groups. While the mean minimal number of clones in the non-endemic region around Aioun was 1.57, blood samples collected in the hypoendemic region around Kobeni showed multiple infections with an average of 2.34 clones (P < 0.001). In addition, clear differences between endemic regions were apparent in three of the investigated allelic groups: RO33 of the MSP1 gene and FC and Indochina of the MSP2 gene.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Alleles

KW - Animals

KW - Antigens, Bacterial

KW - Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins

KW - Bacterial Proteins/genetics

KW - Child

KW - Child, Preschool

KW - DNA, Protozoan/blood

KW - Disease Outbreaks

KW - Female

KW - GTP Phosphohydrolases/genetics

KW - Genotype

KW - Humans

KW - Infant

KW - Malaria, Falciparum/epidemiology

KW - Male

KW - Mauritania/epidemiology

KW - Merozoite Surface Protein 1

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Plasmodium falciparum/genetics

KW - Polymerase Chain Reaction

KW - Prevalence

KW - Protozoan Proteins/genetics

KW - Rural Health

U2 - 10.1046/j.1365-3156.2001.00802.x

DO - 10.1046/j.1365-3156.2001.00802.x

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 11679123

VL - 6

SP - 761

EP - 766

JO - TROP MED INT HEALTH

JF - TROP MED INT HEALTH

SN - 1360-2276

IS - 10

ER -