A comparison of two PCR protocols for the differentiation of Plasmodium ovale species and implications for clinical management in travellers returning to Germany: a 10-year cross-sectional study
Abstract Background To assess the occurrence of Plasmodium ovale wallikeri and Plasmodium ovale curtisi species in travellers returning to Germany, two real-time PCR protocols for the detection and differentiation of the two P. ovale species were compared. Results of parasite differentiation were co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-08-01
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| Series: | Malaria Journal |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-019-2901-0 |
| _version_ | 1818293066025402368 |
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| author | Hagen Frickmann Christine Wegner Stefanie Ruben Ulrike Loderstädt Egbert Tannich |
| author_facet | Hagen Frickmann Christine Wegner Stefanie Ruben Ulrike Loderstädt Egbert Tannich |
| author_sort | Hagen Frickmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background To assess the occurrence of Plasmodium ovale wallikeri and Plasmodium ovale curtisi species in travellers returning to Germany, two real-time PCR protocols for the detection and differentiation of the two P. ovale species were compared. Results of parasite differentiation were correlated with patient data. Methods Residual nucleic acid extractions from EDTA blood samples of patients with P. ovale spp. malaria, collected between 2010 and 2019 at the National Reference Centre for Tropical Pathogens in Germany, were subjected to further parasite discrimination in a retrospective assessment. All samples had been analysed by microscopy and by P. ovale spp.-specific real-time PCR without discrimination on species level. Two different real-time PCR protocols for species discrimination of P. o. curtisi and P. o. wallikeri were carried out. Results were correlated with patient data on gender, age, travel destination, thrombocyte count, and duration of parasite latency. Results Samples from 77 P. ovale spp. malaria patients were assessed, with a male:female ratio of about 2:1 and a median age of 30 years. Parasitaemia was low, ranging from few visible parasites up to 1% infected erythrocytes. Discriminative real-time PCRs revealed 41 cases of P. o. curtisi and 36 cases of P. o. wallikeri infections. Concordance of results by the two PCR approaches was 100%. Assessment of travel destinations confirmed co-existence of P. o. curtisi and P. o. wallikeri over a wide range of countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Latency periods for the two P. ovale species were similar, with median values of 56.0 days for P. o. curtisi and 58.0 days for P. o. wallikeri; likewise, there was no statistically significant difference in thrombocyte count with median values of 138.5/µL for patients with P. o. curtisi and 152.0/µL for P. o. wallikeri-infected patients. Conclusions Two different real-time PCR protocols were found to be suitable for the discrimination of P. o. curtisi and P. o. wallikeri with only minor differences in sensitivity. Due to the overall low parasitaemia and the lack of differences in severity-related aspects like parasite latency periods or thrombocyte counts, this study supports the use of P. ovale spp. PCR without discrimination on species level to confirm the diagnosis and to inform clinical management of malaria in these patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T03:09:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7694af81ab474bbfaa753a406fc37677 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1475-2875 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T03:09:56Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | Malaria Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-7694af81ab474bbfaa753a406fc376772022-12-22T00:01:38ZengBMCMalaria Journal1475-28752019-08-011811710.1186/s12936-019-2901-0A comparison of two PCR protocols for the differentiation of Plasmodium ovale species and implications for clinical management in travellers returning to Germany: a 10-year cross-sectional studyHagen Frickmann0Christine Wegner1Stefanie Ruben2Ulrike Loderstädt3Egbert Tannich4Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, External Site at the Bernhard Nocht Institute, Tropical Microbiology and Entomology, Bundeswehr Hospital HamburgBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, National Reference Center for Tropical PathogensBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, National Reference Center for Tropical PathogensBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, National Reference Center for Tropical PathogensBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, National Reference Center for Tropical PathogensAbstract Background To assess the occurrence of Plasmodium ovale wallikeri and Plasmodium ovale curtisi species in travellers returning to Germany, two real-time PCR protocols for the detection and differentiation of the two P. ovale species were compared. Results of parasite differentiation were correlated with patient data. Methods Residual nucleic acid extractions from EDTA blood samples of patients with P. ovale spp. malaria, collected between 2010 and 2019 at the National Reference Centre for Tropical Pathogens in Germany, were subjected to further parasite discrimination in a retrospective assessment. All samples had been analysed by microscopy and by P. ovale spp.-specific real-time PCR without discrimination on species level. Two different real-time PCR protocols for species discrimination of P. o. curtisi and P. o. wallikeri were carried out. Results were correlated with patient data on gender, age, travel destination, thrombocyte count, and duration of parasite latency. Results Samples from 77 P. ovale spp. malaria patients were assessed, with a male:female ratio of about 2:1 and a median age of 30 years. Parasitaemia was low, ranging from few visible parasites up to 1% infected erythrocytes. Discriminative real-time PCRs revealed 41 cases of P. o. curtisi and 36 cases of P. o. wallikeri infections. Concordance of results by the two PCR approaches was 100%. Assessment of travel destinations confirmed co-existence of P. o. curtisi and P. o. wallikeri over a wide range of countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Latency periods for the two P. ovale species were similar, with median values of 56.0 days for P. o. curtisi and 58.0 days for P. o. wallikeri; likewise, there was no statistically significant difference in thrombocyte count with median values of 138.5/µL for patients with P. o. curtisi and 152.0/µL for P. o. wallikeri-infected patients. Conclusions Two different real-time PCR protocols were found to be suitable for the discrimination of P. o. curtisi and P. o. wallikeri with only minor differences in sensitivity. Due to the overall low parasitaemia and the lack of differences in severity-related aspects like parasite latency periods or thrombocyte counts, this study supports the use of P. ovale spp. PCR without discrimination on species level to confirm the diagnosis and to inform clinical management of malaria in these patients.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-019-2901-0MalariaPlasmodium ovale curtisiPlasmodium ovale wallikeriParasite latencyEpidemiologyTest comparison |
| spellingShingle | Hagen Frickmann Christine Wegner Stefanie Ruben Ulrike Loderstädt Egbert Tannich A comparison of two PCR protocols for the differentiation of Plasmodium ovale species and implications for clinical management in travellers returning to Germany: a 10-year cross-sectional study Malaria Journal Malaria Plasmodium ovale curtisi Plasmodium ovale wallikeri Parasite latency Epidemiology Test comparison |
| title | A comparison of two PCR protocols for the differentiation of Plasmodium ovale species and implications for clinical management in travellers returning to Germany: a 10-year cross-sectional study |
| title_full | A comparison of two PCR protocols for the differentiation of Plasmodium ovale species and implications for clinical management in travellers returning to Germany: a 10-year cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | A comparison of two PCR protocols for the differentiation of Plasmodium ovale species and implications for clinical management in travellers returning to Germany: a 10-year cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | A comparison of two PCR protocols for the differentiation of Plasmodium ovale species and implications for clinical management in travellers returning to Germany: a 10-year cross-sectional study |
| title_short | A comparison of two PCR protocols for the differentiation of Plasmodium ovale species and implications for clinical management in travellers returning to Germany: a 10-year cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | comparison of two pcr protocols for the differentiation of plasmodium ovale species and implications for clinical management in travellers returning to germany a 10 year cross sectional study |
| topic | Malaria Plasmodium ovale curtisi Plasmodium ovale wallikeri Parasite latency Epidemiology Test comparison |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-019-2901-0 |
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