title: Genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum isolates from concurrent malaria and arbovirus co-infections in Kedougou, southeastern Senegal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Concurrent malaria and arbovirus infections are common and represent an important public health concern in regions where both diseases are endemic. The present study investigates the genetic diversity and complexity of Plasmodium falciparum infection in concurrent malaria-arbovirus infections in Kedougou region, southeastern Senegal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parasite DNA was extracted from 60 to 27 sera samples collected from P. falciparum isolates of malaria and concurrent malaria-arbovirus infected patients, respectively, and followed by PCR-genotyping targeting the msp-1 (block2) and msp-2 (block3) allelic families.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean number of genotype per allelic family was comparable between the two groups. K1 was the predominant msp-1 allelic type both in malaria (94.91%) and arbovirus-malaria (92.59%) groups, whereas IC/3D7 was the most prevalent msp-2 allelic type in malaria (94.91%) and arbovirus-malaria (96.29%) groups. Frequencies of msp-1 and msp-2 allelic types were statistically comparable between the two groups (Fisher exact test, P > 0.05) and were not associated with age. FC27 was strikingly the least prevalent in both groups and was absent in children under 5 years of age. The proportions of P. falciparum isolates from malaria-infected patients carrying the three msp-1 allelic types (67.44%) or the two msp-2 allelic types (76.47%) were significantly higher than those from arbovirus-malaria co-infected patients (Exact binomial test, P < 0.05). The multiplicities of infection (MOI) were low and comparable for msp-1 (1.19 vs 1.22) and msp-2 (1.11 vs 1.10), respectively between malaria and arbovirus-malaria groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study showed no difference in the genetic diversity between P. falciparum isolates from malaria and concurrent malaria-arbovirus infected patients in Kedougou. The MOI was low despite intense malaria transmission in Kedougou. The overall results suggest a limited or no influence of arbovirus infections on P. falciparum diversity and complexity of malaria infection.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Unit, Institut Pasteur Dakar, 36 Avenue Pasteur, 220, Dakar, Senegal. mniang@pasteur.sn.
authors.forename: Makhtar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niang
authors.affiliation: Arbovirus and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers Unit, Institut Pasteur Dakar, 36 Avenue Pasteur, 220, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Cheikh
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loucoubar
authors.affiliation: Arbovirus and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers Unit, Institut Pasteur Dakar, 36 Avenue Pasteur, 220, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Abdourahmane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sow
authors.affiliation: Arbovirus and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers Unit, Institut Pasteur Dakar, 36 Avenue Pasteur, 220, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Moussa Moise
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Diagne
authors.affiliation: Arbovirus and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers Unit, Institut Pasteur Dakar, 36 Avenue Pasteur, 220, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Oumar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Faye
authors.affiliation: Arbovirus and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers Unit, Institut Pasteur Dakar, 36 Avenue Pasteur, 220, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Ousmane
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Faye
authors.affiliation: Medical Entomology Unit, Institut Pasteur Dakar, 36 Avenue Pasteur, 220, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Mawlouth
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diallo
authors.affiliation: Immunology Unit, Institut Pasteur Dakar, 36 Avenue Pasteur, 220, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Aissatou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toure-Balde
authors.affiliation: Arbovirus and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers Unit, Institut Pasteur Dakar, 36 Avenue Pasteur, 220, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Amadou A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D001102:Arbovirus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D060085:Coinfection / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D060005:Genotyping Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D020066:Merozoite Surface Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012675:Senegal; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D020066:Merozoite Surface Protein 1; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C065974:merozoite surface protein 2, Plasmodium
keywords: Arbovirus; Genetic diversity; Malaria; Multiplicity of infection