title: Allelic Forms of Merozoite Surface Protein-3 in Plasmodium falciparum Isolates From Southeast of Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Genetic diversity has provided Plasmodium falciparum with the potential capacity of avoiding the immune response, and possibly supported the natural selection of drug or vaccine-resistant parasites. Merozoite surface protein-3 (MSP-3) has been used to develop vaccines and investigate the genetic diversity regarding P. falciparum malaria in Iran.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The main goal of this study was to analyze the polymorphic antigen MSP-3 genes across southeast of Iran among four different districts, to identify the differences in the allele frequency and genetic diversity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nested polymerase chain reaction amplification was used to determine polymorphisms of N-terminal region of the MSP-3 gene. A total of 85 microscopically positive P. falciparum infected individuals from southeast of Iran were included in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 85 confirmed P. falciparum samples obtained from four different districts, 72 were successfully scored for MSP-3.The MSP-3 allele classes (K1 and 3D7 types) showed comparable prevalence in all districts. Overall frequencies of K1 and 3D7 allele classes were 94.5 % for both.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since no study has yet looked at the extent of P. falciparum MSP-3 in this geographic region, these data can be helpful to support development of a vaccine based on MSP-3 against malaria. There should be a comparative analysis in different seasonal peaks to indicate the allelic polymorphism of MSP-3 over a period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ebrahimzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jamshidi
keywords: Genetic Variation; Iran; Merozoite surface protein 3, Plasmodium; Plasmodium falciparum