title: The ears of the African elephant: unexpected high seroprevalence of Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae in healthy populations in Western Africa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malaria Is A Life-Threatening Pathology In Africa. Plasmodium Falciparum And Plasmodium Vivax Attract The Most Focus Because Of Their High Prevalence And Mortality. Knowledge About The Prevalence Of The Cryptic Pathogens Plasmodium Ovale And Plasmodium Malariae Is Limited. Thanks To Recombinant Tools, Their Seroprevalence Was Measured For The First Time, As Well As The Prevalence Of Mixed Infections In A Malaria-Asymptomatic Population In Benin, A Malaria-Endemic Country.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Panel Of 1,235 Blood Donations Collected Over Ten Months In Benin Was Used For Validation Of The Recombinant Tools. Recombinant P. Falciparum, P. Malariae, P. Ovale MSP1, And P. Falciparum AMA1 Were Engineered And Validated On A Biobank With Malaria-Infected Patients (N = 144) Using A Species-Speific ELISA Test (Recelisa). Results Were Compared To An ELISA Using A Native P. Falciparum Antigen (NatELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among Microscopically Negative African Blood Donors, 85% (1,050/1,235) Present Antibodies Directed To Native P. Falciparum, 94.4% (1,166/1,235) To rPfMSP1 And rPfAMA1, 56.8% (702/1,235) To rPoMSP1, 67.5% (834/1235) To rPmMSP1 And 45.3% Of The Malaria Seropositive Population Had Antibodies Recognizing The Three Species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A High Rate Of Antibodies Against P. Ovale And P. Malariae Was Found In Asymptomatic Blood Donors. The Proportion Of Mixed Infections Involving Three Species Was Also Unexpected. These Data Suggest That Determining Seroprevalence For These Cryptic Species Is An Appropriate Tool To Estimate Their Incidence, At The Eve Of Upcoming Anti-P. Falciparum Vaccination Campaigns.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Parasitologie et de Pathologie Tropicale Université de Strasbourg, 3, Rue Koeberlé, F67000 Strasbourg, France. cecile.lang@unistra.fr.
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Doderer-Lang
authors.forename: Pascal S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Atchade
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meckert
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haar
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perrotey
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Filisetti
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aboubacar
authors.forename: Alexander W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Pfaff
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brunet
authors.forename: Nicodème W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Chabi
authors.forename: Casimir D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Akpovi
authors.forename: Ludovic
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Anani
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bigot
authors.forename: Ambaliou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanni
authors.forename: Ermanno
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Candolfi
mesh_terms: D000354:Africa, Western; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology; D010965:Plasmodium malariae / Q000276:immunology*; D041122:Plasmodium ovale / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan