title: Absence of asymptomatic malaria infection in endemic area of bashagard district, hormozgan province, iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A successful malaria elimination program calls for enough attention to parasite carriers, especially asymptomatic malaria, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of clinical cases. Asymptomatic malaria is an infection that patients do not show any symptom; thus, these patients play critical role in the concept of an elimination program. The current investigation was conducted to evaluate the presence of these cases in Bashagard District, formerly a high malaria transmission area in Hormozgan Province, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples (n = 500) were collected from symptomless individuals residing in Bashagard to evaluate Plasmodium infection by using microscopic, serological and nested-PCR techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regarding the microscopic and nested-PCR analysis, no asymptomatic infection was detected among studied individuals. Totally, 1% of the studied population (5 of 500) had anti PvMSP-1(19)-specific IgG antibody; however, only 0.2% (1 of 500) of the individuals was seropositive to recombinant PfMSP-1(19), using ELISA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed no asymptomatic malaria infection in the studied population; hence malaria elimination is feasible and can be successfully carried out in this region.
authors.affiliation: Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran ; Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Turki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zoghi
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mehrizi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zakeri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raeisi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khazan
authors.forename: Aa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haghdoost
keywords: Asymptomatic malaria; Iran; MSP-119; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium vivax