title: Plasmodium vivax PCR genotyping of the first malaria case imported from South Korea into Japan.
abstract: Although indigenous malaria was successfully eradicated in Japan in 1959, malaria remains one of the most important health concerns in the control of imported infectious diseases. However, in South Korea, the re-emergence of indigenous vivax malaria was reported in 1993 in the Demilitarized Zone (the border region with North Korea), from where a vivax malaria case was imported into Japan in 2002. In this study, we conducted genotyping of the circumsporozoite protein gene, the apical membrane antigen-1 gene, and the merozoite surface protein-1 gene of Plasmodium vivax in one patient, and estimated the geographical origin of the parasites. This estimate was based on the findings of previous studies, which showed the coexistence of at least two distinct genotypes of antigenic molecules of endemic P. vivax in South Korea. One genotype is similar to that of a Chinese strain CH-5, and the other is similar to that of a North Korean isolate. The results of this study showed that the DNA sequences of the patient's P. vivax parasites were similar to those of the North Korean isolate. It may even be possible in the near future for seasonally synchronized North Korean P. vivax parasites to be imported into parts of Japan and to establish breeding populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Appropriate Technology Development and Transfer, Research Institute, International Medical Center of Japan, 1-21-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8655, Japan.
authors.forename: Moritoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwagami
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Itoda
authors.forename: Seung-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Weon-Gyu
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Kho
authors.forename: Shigeyuki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001483:Base Sequence; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007723:Korea / Q000208:ethnology; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014195:Travel; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials