Plasmodium falciparum genotyping by microsatellites as a method to distinguish between recrudescent and new infections.
In vivo tests for susceptibility to antimalarial drugs require molecular methods to distinguish recrudescence from new infection. The most commonly used DNA markers (merozoite surface proteins [MSPs]) are under immune selective pressure, which might lead to misclassification. We evaluated immunologically neutral microsatellite markers in blood samples collected during a drug efficacy trial in Rwanda. Fifty percent of the infections classified as recrudescent by MSP were classified as new by microsatellite markers. Reciprocally, 23.3% of infections classified as recrudescent by microsatellite markers were identified as new by MSP. In drug efficacy studies, microsatellite markers should complement MSP genotyping to distinguish a recrudescence from a new infection.
Nyachieo
Atunga
A
Department of Parasitology, Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
VAN Overmeir
Chantal
C
Laurent
Thierry
T
Dujardin
Jean-Claude
JC
D'Alessandro
Umberto
U
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012008:Recurrence; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000962:Antimalarials; D005819:Genetic Markers