title: Cytoadherence and genotype of Plasmodium falciparum strains from symptomatic children in Franceville, southeastern Gabon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plasmodium falciparum causes severe clinical manifestations by sequestering parasitized red blood cells (PRBC) in the microvasculature of major organs such as the brain. This sequestration results from PRBC adherence to vascular endothelial cells via erythrocyte membrane protein 1, a variant parasite surface antigen.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether P. falciparum multiple genotype infection (MGI) is associated with stronger PRBC cytoadherence and greater clinical severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nested polymerase chain reaction was used to genotype P. falciparum isolates from symptomatic children and to distinguish between single genotype infection (SGI) and MGI. PRBC cytoadhesion was studied with cultured human lung endothelial cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of two highly polymorphic regions of the merozoite surface antigen (MSP)-1 and MSP-2 genes and a dimorphic region of the erythrocyte binding antigen-175 gene showed that 21.4% and 78.6% of the 42 children had SGI and MGI, respectively. It also showed that 37 (89%) of the 42 PRBC samples expressed MSP-1 allelic family K1. Cytoadherence values ranged from 58 to 1811 PRBC/mm(2) of human lung endothelial cells monolayer in SGI and from 5 to 5744 PRBC/mm(2) in MGI. MGI was not associated with higher cytoadherence values or with more severe malaria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggested that infection of the same individual by multiple clones of P. falciparum does not significantly influence PRBC cytoadherence or disease severity and confirmed the predominance of the MSP-1 K1 genotype in southeastern Gabon.
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches, Médicales de Franceville, BP 769 Franceville, Gabon. fousseyni@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Fousseyni S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Touré
authors.forename: Odile
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ouwe-Missi-Oukem-Boyer
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mezui-Me-Ndong
authors.forename: Guy Roger
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Ndong-Atome
authors.forename: Ulrick
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bisvigou
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mazier
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bisser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology*; D005681:Gabon; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000469:parasitology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan