Deletions of the Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2/3 genes are common in field isolates from north-eastern Tanzania
Abstract Plasmodium falciparum parasites lacking histidine-rich protein 2 and 3 (pfhrp2/3) genes have been reported in several parts of the world. These deletions are known to compromise the effectiveness of HRP2-based malaria rapid diagnostic tests (HRP2-RDT). The National Malaria Control Programme...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09878-3 |
| Summary: | Abstract Plasmodium falciparum parasites lacking histidine-rich protein 2 and 3 (pfhrp2/3) genes have been reported in several parts of the world. These deletions are known to compromise the effectiveness of HRP2-based malaria rapid diagnostic tests (HRP2-RDT). The National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) in Tanzania adopted HRP2-RDTs as a routine tool for malaria diagnosis in 2009 replacing microscopy in many Health facilities. We investigated pfhrp2/3 deletions in 122 samples from two areas with diverse malaria transmission intensities in Northeastern Tanzania. Pfhrp2 deletion was confirmed in 1.6% of samples while pfhrp3 deletion was confirmed in 50% of samples. We did not find parasites with both pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 deletions among our samples. Results from this study highlight the need for systematic surveillance of pfhrp2/3 deletions in Tanzania to understand their prevalence and determine their impact on the performance of mRDT. |
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| ISSN: | 2045-2322 |