Abstract
In the Union of Comoros, interventions for combating malaria have contributed to a spectacular decrease in the prevalence of the disease. We studied the current distribution of Plasmodium species on the island of Grande Comore using nested PCR. The rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) currently used in the Comoros are able to identify Plasmodium falciparum but no other Plasmodium species. In this study, we tested 211 RDTs (158 positive and 53 negative). Among the 158 positive RDTs, 22 were positive for HRP2, 3 were positive only for pLDH, and 133 were positive for HRP2 and pLDH. DNA was extracted from a proximal part of the nitrocellulose membrane of RDTs. A total of 159 samples were positive by nested PCR. Of those, 156 (98.11%) were positive for P. falciparum, 2 (1.25%) were positive for P. vivaxI, and 1 (0.62%) was positive for P. malariae. None of the samples were positive for P. ovale. Our results show that P. falciparum is still the most dominant species on the island of Grande Comore, but P. vivax and P. malariae are present at a low prevalence.
Highlights
Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite that belongs to the genus Plasmodium
Positive and negative rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) performed in febrile patients (Malaria pLDH/HRP2 Combo: Access Bio, PBX-KM30003 and SD Bioline Malaria Ag Pf/ Pan: SD Bioline, 05FK60) for malaria diagnosis were collected in Grande Comore, at the National Malaria Control Program in the capital city Moroni and at two hospitals of two regions of Grande Comore: Mitsamiouli and Mbeni from 2012 to 2013
Among 22 RDTs that presented a positive result for HRP2, 20 were positive for P. falciparum by PCR and 2 were negative for all species
Summary
Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite that belongs to the genus Plasmodium. It is responsible for about 627,000 deaths worldwide annually with about 90% occurring in sub-SaharanAfrica [19]. Papa Mze et al.: Parasite 2016, 23, 34 nets, introduction of Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) in pregnant women, and the treatment of patients with artemisinin-based combination therapy These strategies have resulted in a significant decrease in malaria transmission. The prevalence of malaria among pregnant women decreased from 30.4% to 8% between 2004 and 2008, and the hospital case fatality rate among children under 5 years dropped from 0.36% to 0.12% between 2005 and 2008 (PNLP 2004–2009, unpublished data). This decline allowed the National Malaria Control Program to bring into focus strategies for malaria eradication in the Union of Comoros, which was introduced for the first time in 2007 on Moheli Island. The results are encouraging: no deaths were recorded in the first quarter of 2014 (PNLP 2014, unpublished data)
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