Genetic diversity of Plasmodium vivax isolates from Azerbaijan.
BACKGROUND
Plasmodium vivax, although causing a less serious disease than Plasmodium falciparum, is the most widespread of the four human malarial species. Further to the recent recrudescence of P. vivax cases in the Newly Independent States (NIS) of central Asia, a survey on the genetic diversity and dissemination in Azerbaijan was undertaken. Azerbaijan is at the crossroads of Asia and, as such, could see a rise in the number of cases, although an effective malaria control programme has been established in the country.


METHODS
Thirty-six P. vivax isolates from Central Azerbaijan were characterized by analysing the genetic polymorphism of the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and the merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-1) genes, using PCR amplifications and amplicons sequencing.


RESULTS
Analysis of CSP sequences showed that all the processed isolates belong to the VK 210 type, with variations in the alternation of alanine residue (A) or aspartic acid residue (D) in the repeat motif GDRA(A/D)GQPA along the sequence. As far as MSP-1 genotyping is concerned, it was found that the majority of isolates analysed belong to Belem and Sal I types. Five recombinant isolates were also identified. Combined analysis with the two genetic markers allowed the identification of 19 plasmodial sub-types.


CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained in the present study indicate that there are several P. vivax clones circulating in Azerbaijan and, consequently, a careful malaria surveillance could be of paramount importance to identify, at early stage, the occurrence of possible P. vivax malaria outbreaks.
Leclerc
Marie Claude
MC
UR IRD 165, Génétique et Evolution des Maladies Infectieuses, UMR CNRS/IRD 2724, 911 Avenue Agropolis, BP 64501, 34394 Montpellier cedex 5, France. leclerc@mpl.ird.fr
Menegon
Michela
M
Cligny
Alexandra
A
Noyer
Jean Louis
JL
Mammadov
Suleyman
S
Aliyev
Namig
N
Gasimov
Elkhan
E
Majori
Giancarlo
G
Severini
Carlo
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001382:Azerbaijan / Q000453:epidemiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005819:Genetic Markers; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D020066:Merozoite Surface Protein 1 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020066:Merozoite Surface Protein 1; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C041595:circumsporozoite protein, Protozoan