title: Comparison of imported Plasmodium ovale curtisi and P. ovale wallikeri infections among patients in Spain, 2005-2011.
abstract: Sequencing data from Plasmodium ovale genotypes co-circulating in multiple countries support the hypothesis that P. ovale curtisi and P. ovale wallikeri are 2 separate species. We conducted a multicenter, retrospective, comparative study in Spain of 21 patients who had imported P. ovale curtisi infections and 14 who had imported P. ovale wallikeri infections confirmed by PCR and gene sequencing during June 2005-December 2011. The only significant finding was more severe thrombocytopenia among patients with P. ovale wallikeri infection than among those with P. ovale curtisi infection (p = 0.031). However, we also found nonsignificant trends showing that patients with P. ovale wallikeri infection had shorter time from arrival in Spain to onset of symptoms, lower level of albumin, higher median maximum core temperature, and more markers of hemolysis than did those with P. ovale curtisi infection. Larger, prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rojo-Marcos
authors.forename: José Miguel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rubio-Muñoz
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Olivencia
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: García-Bujalance
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elcuaz-Romano
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Díaz-Menéndez
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: García-Bermejo
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Giardín
authors.forename: Francisco Jesús
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Merino-Fernández
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Torrús-Tendero
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delgado-Iribarren
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ribell-Bachs
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arévalo-Serrano
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cuadros-González
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D041122:Plasmodium ovale / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Plasmodium ovale curtisi; Plasmodium ovale wallikeri; Spain; clinical features; epidemiology; imported malaria; malaria; parasites; thrombocytopenia; vector-borne infections