title: Seroprevalence of antibodies to repetitive domains of Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein in United Arab Emirates children.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the exposure of child citizens of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Plasmodium vivax, and to elucidate if it was related to place of residence or previous international travel to malaria-endemic areas. Blood samples were collected from 1010 primary schoolchildren resident in 7 out of 9 districts of the UAE during October and November 1999. Plasma samples were tested for antibodies against MAP4 (DGQPAGDR)3P2P30, a multiple antigen peptide containing the repeat amino acid sequences of P. vivax circumsporozoite protein (CSP), conjugated to 2 T-helper epitopes, P2 (QYIKANSKFIGITE) and P30 (FNNFTVSFWLRVPKVSASHLE) from tetanus toxin. For confirmation of P. vivax-specific reactivity, positive samples were further tested against (AGDR)6, a synthetic peptide containing 6 copies of a protective epitope within the CSP, and against a recombinant CSP, designated as NS1(81)V20. Results indicated that 3.3% of the children were seropositive. The seropositivity rates differed significantly in relation to place of residence, whereas travel outside the UAE did not significantly affect the exposure rates to P. vivax.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. abuzeid55@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Yousif A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Abu-Zeid
authors.forename: Rafie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alwash
authors.forename: Huda M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Shaheen
authors.forename: Salem A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bin-Othman
authors.forename: Miodrag L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lukic
authors.forename: Khaled M A
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Amiri
authors.forename: Yupin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Charoenvit
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000276:immunology*; D015995:Prevalence; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C041595:circumsporozoite protein, Protozoan