title: Detection of Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein II in saliva of malaria patients.
abstract: Detection of Plasmodium falciparum parasites in patients with malaria necessitates drawing blood, which increases the risk of accidental infections and is poorly accepted in communities with blood taboos. Thus, non-invasive, cost-effective malaria tests that minimize the need for blood collection are needed. Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein II (PfHRP II) levels in plasma and saliva were compared in malaria-positive and -negative patients in Ghana. Plasma and saliva obtained from 30 thick-film positive and 10 negative children were evaluated for PfHRP II by ELISA. Among the 30 children with positive blood smear, 16 (53%) were PfHRP II positive in plasma and 13 (43%) had PfHRP II positive saliva. The sensitivity of PfHRP II detection was 53% for plasma and 43% for saliva. The specificity was 100% with no false positive for both plasma and saliva when compared with blood smear. Thus, rapid detection of PfHRP II antigen in saliva may be a useful non-invasive and cost-effective malaria diagnostic technique.
authors.affiliation: Morehouse School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Atlanta, Georgia 30310, USA. nwilson@msm.edu
authors.forename: Nana O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Adjei
authors.forename: Winston
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baidoo
authors.forename: Jonathan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Stiles
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D012463:Saliva / Q000469:parasitology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; C514457:HRP-2 antigen, Plasmodium falciparum; D015800:Protozoan Proteins