Molecular screening of Plasmodium sp. asymptomatic carriers among transfusion centers from Brazilian Amazon region.
The transmission of malaria in Brazil is heterogeneous throughout endemic areas and the presence of asymptomatic Plasmodium sp. carriers (APCs) in the Brazilian Amazon has already been demonstrated. Malaria screening in blood banks is based on the selection of donors in respect to possible risks associated with travel or residence, clinical evidence and/or inaccurate diagnostic methods thereby increasing the probability of transfusion-transmitted infection. We evaluated the frequency of APCs in four blood services in distinct areas of the Brazilian Amazon region. DNA was obtained from 400 human blood samples for testing using the phenol-chloroform method followed by a nested-PCR protocol with species-specific primers. The positivity rate varied from 1 to 3% of blood donors from the four areas with an average of 2.3%. All positive individuals had mixed infections for Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum. No significant differences in the results were detected among these areas; the majority of cases originated from the transfusion centres of Porto Velho, Rondônia State and Macapá, Amapá State. Although it is still unclear whether APC individuals may act as reservoirs of the parasite, efficient screening of APCs and malaria patients in Brazilian blood services from endemic areas needs to be improved.
Fugikaha
Erica
E
Departamento de Doenças Dermatológicas, Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brasil.
Fornazari
Patrícia Aparecida
PA
Penhalbel
Roberta de Souza Rodrigues
Rde S
Lorenzetti
Alexandre
A
Maroso
Roberto Duarte
RD
Amoras
Juvanete Távora
JT
Saraiva
Ana Sueli
AS
Silva
Rita Uchôa da
RU
Bonini-Domingos
Cláudia Regina
CR
Mattos
Luiz Carlos de
LC
Rossit
Andréa Regina Baptista
AR
Cavasini
Carlos Eugênio
CE
Machado
Ricardo Luiz Dantas
RL
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001782:Blood Donors; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics*; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000235:genetics*
D016054:DNA, Protozoan