Deletions of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes of Plasmodium falciparum from Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua
Abstract Background Malaria remains a public health problem in some countries of Central America. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are one of the most useful tools to assist in the diagnosis of malaria in remote areas. Since its introduction, a wide variety of RDTs have been developed for the detection...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2018-08-01
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| Series: | Malaria Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-018-2470-7 |
| _version_ | 1817990399929614336 |
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| author | Gustavo Fontecha Rosa E. Mejía Engels Banegas Maria Paz Ade Lisandro Mendoza Bryan Ortiz Isaac Sabillón Gerardo Alvarado Gabriela Matamoros Alejandra Pinto |
| author_facet | Gustavo Fontecha Rosa E. Mejía Engels Banegas Maria Paz Ade Lisandro Mendoza Bryan Ortiz Isaac Sabillón Gerardo Alvarado Gabriela Matamoros Alejandra Pinto |
| author_sort | Gustavo Fontecha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Malaria remains a public health problem in some countries of Central America. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are one of the most useful tools to assist in the diagnosis of malaria in remote areas. Since its introduction, a wide variety of RDTs have been developed for the detection of different parasite antigens. PfHRP2 is the most targeted antigen for the detection of Plasmodium falciparum infections. Genetic mutations and gene deletions are important factors influencing or affecting the performance of rapid diagnostic tests. Methods In order to demonstrate the presence or absence of the pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes and their flanking regions, a total of 128 blood samples from patients with P. falciparum infection from three Central American countries were analysed through nested or semi-nested PCR approaches. Results In total, 25.8 and 91.4% of the isolates lacked the region located between exon 1 and exon 2 of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes, respectively. Parasites from the three countries showed deletions of one or both genes. The highest proportion of pfhrp2 deletions was found in Nicaragua while the isolates from Guatemala revealed the lowest number of pfhrp2 deletions. Parasites collected from Honduras showed the highest proportion of phfrp3 absence (96.2%). Twenty-one percent of isolates were double negative mutants for the exon 1–2 segment of both genes, and 6.3% of isolates lacked the full-length coding region of both genes. Conclusions This study provides molecular evidence of the existence of P. falciparum isolates lacking the pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes, and their flanking regions, in Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua. This finding could hinder progress in the control and elimination of malaria in Central America. Continuous evaluation of RDTs and molecular surveillance would be recommended. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:58:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-65200ff6d63e4f5e9a46269fe9dd1a71 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1475-2875 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:58:15Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Malaria Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-65200ff6d63e4f5e9a46269fe9dd1a712022-12-22T02:21:29ZengBMCMalaria Journal1475-28752018-08-0117111010.1186/s12936-018-2470-7Deletions of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes of Plasmodium falciparum from Honduras, Guatemala and NicaraguaGustavo Fontecha0Rosa E. Mejía1Engels Banegas2Maria Paz Ade3Lisandro Mendoza4Bryan Ortiz5Isaac Sabillón6Gerardo Alvarado7Gabriela Matamoros8Alejandra Pinto9Microbiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de HondurasPanamerican Health OrganizationNational Department of Surveillance, Ministry of HealthPanamerican Health OrganizationMicrobiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de HondurasMicrobiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de HondurasMicrobiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de HondurasMicrobiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de HondurasMicrobiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de HondurasMicrobiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de HondurasAbstract Background Malaria remains a public health problem in some countries of Central America. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are one of the most useful tools to assist in the diagnosis of malaria in remote areas. Since its introduction, a wide variety of RDTs have been developed for the detection of different parasite antigens. PfHRP2 is the most targeted antigen for the detection of Plasmodium falciparum infections. Genetic mutations and gene deletions are important factors influencing or affecting the performance of rapid diagnostic tests. Methods In order to demonstrate the presence or absence of the pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes and their flanking regions, a total of 128 blood samples from patients with P. falciparum infection from three Central American countries were analysed through nested or semi-nested PCR approaches. Results In total, 25.8 and 91.4% of the isolates lacked the region located between exon 1 and exon 2 of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes, respectively. Parasites from the three countries showed deletions of one or both genes. The highest proportion of pfhrp2 deletions was found in Nicaragua while the isolates from Guatemala revealed the lowest number of pfhrp2 deletions. Parasites collected from Honduras showed the highest proportion of phfrp3 absence (96.2%). Twenty-one percent of isolates were double negative mutants for the exon 1–2 segment of both genes, and 6.3% of isolates lacked the full-length coding region of both genes. Conclusions This study provides molecular evidence of the existence of P. falciparum isolates lacking the pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes, and their flanking regions, in Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua. This finding could hinder progress in the control and elimination of malaria in Central America. Continuous evaluation of RDTs and molecular surveillance would be recommended.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-018-2470-7MalariaCentral AmericaPlasmodium falciparumRDTpfhrp2pfhrp3 |
| spellingShingle | Gustavo Fontecha Rosa E. Mejía Engels Banegas Maria Paz Ade Lisandro Mendoza Bryan Ortiz Isaac Sabillón Gerardo Alvarado Gabriela Matamoros Alejandra Pinto Deletions of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes of Plasmodium falciparum from Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua Malaria Journal Malaria Central America Plasmodium falciparum RDT pfhrp2 pfhrp3 |
| title | Deletions of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes of Plasmodium falciparum from Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua |
| title_full | Deletions of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes of Plasmodium falciparum from Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua |
| title_fullStr | Deletions of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes of Plasmodium falciparum from Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua |
| title_full_unstemmed | Deletions of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes of Plasmodium falciparum from Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua |
| title_short | Deletions of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes of Plasmodium falciparum from Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua |
| title_sort | deletions of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 genes of plasmodium falciparum from honduras guatemala and nicaragua |
| topic | Malaria Central America Plasmodium falciparum RDT pfhrp2 pfhrp3 |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-018-2470-7 |
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