Imbalanced distribution of Plasmodium falciparum EBA-175 genotypes related to clinical status in children from Bakoumba, Gabon.
OBJECTIVE
The erythrocyte binding antigen 175 kDa (EBA-175) of Plasmodium falciparum is one of the major ligands for red blood cell invasion by merozoites. EBA-175 is a dimorphic antigen but the role that dimorphism plays in host parasite interaction is not fully understood. In this study, we sought to determine the distribution of EBA-175 genotypes and its pathogenetic influence.


METHODS
The nested polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the genotypes of P. falciparum isolates from asymptomatic and symptomatic Gabonese children.


RESULTS
CAMP strains (C-segment) and FCR-3 strains (F-segment) were found in 13/50 (26%) and 19/50 (38%) symptomatic children, respectively and in 16/66 (24%) and 46/66 (70%) asymptomatic children, respectively. The prevalence of mixed C-/F- infection was 18/50 (36%) and 4/66 (6%) in symptomatic and asymptomatic children, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
These results show that mixed C-/F- infection is associated with clinical malaria (chi2, P <0.01) and may have important therapeutic implications.
Touré
Fousseyni S
FS
Centre International de Recherches, Médicales de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon.
Bisseye
C
C
Mavoungou
Elie
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D017125:Genes, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D016008:Statistical Distributions
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C065668:erythrocyte-binding antigen 175, Plasmodium