Genetic polymorphism of Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Loreto, Peru.
Eight genotypes of Plasmodium falciparum were detected after analysing blood samples obtained from 30 Peruvian jungle-dwelling patients in Loreto, a high transmission area for P. falciparum, using amplification of the polymorphic marker gene GLURP (glutamate-rich protein). Genotypes I (GLURP450) and VIII (GLURP800) were the most common (15/30 and 13/30, respectively). This single copy gene showed 15 patients to be infected with a single genotype of P. falciparum; the other 15 were infected with mixed genotypes, one of them with 4 genotypes. These findings are compatible with a high genetic complexity of P. falciparum. Further investigations are needed, using this and other markers, in order to design malaria control measures in Peru.
Hijar
Gisely
G
División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Capac Yupanqui, 1400 Jesus Maria, Lima 11, Perú. ghijar@ins.sld.pe
Padilla
Carlos
C
Marquiño
Wilmer
W
Falconi
Eduardo
E
Montoya
Ysabel
Y
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D017125:Genes, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000469:parasitology*; D010568:Peru; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C072492:glutamate-rich protein, Plasmodium