Genetic diversity of plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein-3alpha (Pvmsp-3alpha) gene in Jhapa District of Nepal.
In Nepal, Plasmodium vivax accounts for approximately 80-90% of the malaria cases, but limited studies have been conducted on the genetic diversity of this parasite population. This study was carried out to determine the genetic diversity of P. vivax population sampled from subjects living in an endemic area of Jhapa District by analyzing the polymorphic merozoite surface protein-3alpha (Pvmsp-3alpha) gene by using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Three distinct genotypes were obtained from 96 samples; type A: 40 (71%), type B: 7 (13%), and type C: 9 (16%) which could be categorized into 13 allelic patterns: A1-A9, B1, B2, C1 and C2. These results indicated a high genetic diversity within the studied P. vivax population. As the transmission rate of malaria is low in Nepal, the diversity is most likely due to migration of people between the malaria endemic regions, either within the country or between Nepal and India. Similar prevalence of the three genotypes of Pvmsp-3alpha between the two countries likely supports the latter explanation.
Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal; 2Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; 3Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. madi_may@hotmail.com
Madhav
M
Adhikari
Samir
S
Ranjitkar
Mette Leth
ML
Schousboe
Michael
M
Alifrangis
Mallika
M
Imwong
Dwij Raj
DR
Bhatta
Megha Raj
MR
Banjara
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D052940:Merozoites; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D005819:Genetic Markers; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C089133:merozoite surface protein 3, Plasmodium