1. Low Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum Histidine-Rich Protein 2 and 3 Gene Deletions—A Multiregional Study in Central and West Africa
- Author
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Tina Krueger, Moses Ikegbunam, Abel Lissom, Thaisa Sandri, Jacques Ntabi, Jean Djontu, Marcel Baina, Roméo Lontchi, Moustapha Maloum, Givina Ella, Romuald Agonhossou, Romaric Akoton, Luc Djogbenou, Steffen Borrmann, Jana Held, Francine Ntoumi, Ayola Adegnika, Peter Kremsner, and Andrea Kreidenweiss
- Subjects
Microbiology (medical) ,Infectious Diseases ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,Plasmodium falciparum ,histidine-rich protein 2 and 3 ,pfhrp2/pfhrp3 deletions ,rapid diagnostic test ,Central Africa ,West Africa ,Immunology and Allergy ,Molecular Biology - Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum parasites carrying deletions of histidine-rich protein 2 and 3 genes, pfhrp2 and pfhrp3, respectively, are likely to escape detection via HRP2-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and, consequently, treatment, posing a major risk to both the health of the infected individual and malaria control efforts. This study assessed the frequency of pfhrp2- and pfhrp3-deleted strains at four different study sites in Central Africa (number of samples analyzed: Gabon N = 534 and the Republic of Congo N = 917) and West Africa (number of samples analyzed: Nigeria N = 466 and Benin N = 120) using a highly sensitive multiplex qPCR. We found low prevalences for pfhrp2 (1%, 0%, 0.03% and 0) and pfhrp3 single deletions (0%, 0%, 0.03% and 0%) at all study sites (Gabon, the Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Benin, respectively). Double-deleted P. falciparum were only found in Nigeria in 1.6% of all internally controlled samples. The results of this pilot investigation do not point towards a high risk for false-negative RDT results due to pfhrp2/pfhrp3 deletions in Central and West African regions. However, as this scenario can change rapidly, continuous monitoring is essential to ensure that RDTs remain a suitable tool for the malaria diagnostic strategy.
- Published
- 2023
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