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Al-Jawabreh A, Ereqat S, Al-Jawabreh A, Al-Jawabreh A, Al-Jawabreh H, Nasereddin A. Tracking the geographical origin of Plasmodium falciparum causing a rare severe case of malaria imported into Palestine, a zero-indigenous case area. BMC Infect Dis 2023; 23:607. [PMID: 37723449 PMCID: PMC10506290 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08583-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria cases in non-endemic zero-indigenous case areas are most likely to have been imported whatever of the route of importation. In countries recently declared malaria-free and now without local transmission, imported cases remain a threat to re-introduction of the disease and a burden on the health system. CASE PRESENTATION Three days after returning from a long trip to malaria- endemic countries; Abyei-Sudan, Chad and Uganda, a 41-year-old male resident from Jericho, Palestine, suffered paroxysms of fever, general fatigue, myalgia, arthralgia, headache, and a strong desire to vomit. Thin and thick Giemsa-stained blood smears were prepared and examined microscopically using oil immersion. Immature trophozoites (ring forms) were seen to parasitize approximately 10% of the erythrocytes revealing hyperparasitemia equivalent to > 100,000 parasites/ µl indicating severe malaria [1, 2]. The double chromatin configuration (headphones) and accolé (applique) position are both indicative of Plasmodium falciparum infection. The 18S rRNA- PCR targeting the rPLU6-rPLU5 region was used to confirm the diagnosis. The next-generation sequencing (NGS) method was carried out according to the manufacturer's instructions (Illumina® DNA Prep, (M) Tagmentation kit (20060060), Illumina) to identify Plasmodium spp. Furthermore, NGS produced a whole-genome sequence of 22.8Mbp of the 14 chromosomes and 25Kbp of the apicoplast. A BLAST search of the apicoplast DNA and selected chromosomal DNA revealed that P. falciparum was the causative agent. The merozoite surface protein-1 (msp-1) was used to construct a phylogenetic tree of 26 P. falciparum, including the one isolated from the patient from Jericho, which clustered with the Sudanese isolate indicating genetic relatedness between the two. CONCLUSION The travel history together with signs and symptoms of malaria, followed by prompt diagnosis using conventional microscopic inspection of Giemsa-stained films together with molecular DNA tracking tools like msp-1 were key means in tracking the place of origin of infection in the case of travel to multiple destination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anas Al-Jawabreh
- Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Abu Deis, East Jerusalem, Palestine
| | - Suheir Ereqat
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Abu Deis, East Jerusalem, Palestine
| | - Amer Al-Jawabreh
- Arab American University, Jenin, Palestine.
- Leishmaniases Research Unit, Jericho, Palestine.
| | - Ahmed Al-Jawabreh
- Leishmaniases Research Unit, Jericho, Palestine
- Palestine Medical Complex, Ministry of Health, Ramallah, Palestine
| | - Hanan Al-Jawabreh
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Abu Deis, East Jerusalem, Palestine
- Leishmaniases Research Unit, Jericho, Palestine
| | - Abedelmajeed Nasereddin
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Abu Deis, East Jerusalem, Palestine
- Al-Quds Bard College, Al-Quds University, Abu Deis East Jerusalem, Palestine
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2
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Putaporntip C, Kuamsab N, Rojrung R, Seethamchai S, Jongwutiwes S. Structural organization and sequence diversity of the complete nucleotide sequence encoding the Plasmodium malariae merozoite surface protein-1. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15591. [PMID: 36114242 PMCID: PMC9481586 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19049-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP1) is a prime candidate for an asexual blood stage vaccine against malaria. However, polymorphism in this antigen could compromise the vaccine’s efficacy. Although the extent of sequence variation in MSP1 has been analyzed from various Plasmodium species, little is known about structural organization and diversity of this locus in Plasmodium malariae (PmMSP1). Herein, we have shown that PmMSP1 contained five conserved and four variable blocks based on analysis of the complete coding sequences. Variable blocks were characterized by short insertion and deletion variants (block II), polymorphic nonrepeat sequences (block IV), complex repeat structure with size variation (block VI) and degenerate octapeptide repeats (block VIII). Like other malarial MSP1s, evidences of intragenic recombination have been found in PmMSP1. The rate of nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions significantly exceeded that of synonymous nucleotide substitutions in block IV, suggesting positive selection in this region. Codon-based analysis of deviation from neutrality has identified a codon under purifying selection located in close proximity to the homologous region of the 38 kDa/42 kDa cleavage site of P. falciparum MSP1. A number of predicted linear B-cell epitopes were identified across both conserved and variable blocks of the protein. However, polymorphism in repeat-containing blocks resulted in alteration of the predicted linear B-cell epitope scores across variants. Although a number of predicted HLA-class II-binding peptides were identified in PmMSP1, all variants of block IV seemed not to be recognized by common HLA-class II alleles among Thai population, suggesting that diversity in this positive selection region could probably affect host immune recognition. The data on structural diversity in PmMSP1 could be useful for further studies such as vaccine development and strain characterization of this neglected malaria parasite.
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3
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Fuehrer HP, Campino S, Sutherland CJ. The primate malaria parasites Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium brasilianum and Plasmodium ovale spp.: genomic insights into distribution, dispersal and host transitions. Malar J 2022; 21:138. [PMID: 35505317 PMCID: PMC9066925 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04151-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
During the twentieth century, there was an explosion in understanding of the malaria parasites infecting humans and wild primates. This was built on three main data sources: from detailed descriptive morphology, from observational histories of induced infections in captive primates, syphilis patients, prison inmates and volunteers, and from clinical and epidemiological studies in the field. All three were wholly dependent on parasitological information from blood-film microscopy, and The Primate Malarias” by Coatney and colleagues (1971) provides an overview of this knowledge available at that time. Here, 50 years on, a perspective from the third decade of the twenty-first century is presented on two pairs of primate malaria parasite species. Included is a near-exhaustive summary of the recent and current geographical distribution for each of these four species, and of the underlying molecular and genomic evidence for each. The important role of host transitions in the radiation of Plasmodium spp. is discussed, as are any implications for the desired elimination of all malaria species in human populations. Two important questions are posed, requiring further work on these often ignored taxa. Is Plasmodium brasilianum, circulating among wild simian hosts in the Americas, a distinct species from Plasmodium malariae? Can new insights into the genomic differences between Plasmodium ovale curtisi and Plasmodium ovale wallikeri be linked to any important differences in parasite morphology, cell biology or clinical and epidemiological features?
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Peter Fuehrer
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Susana Campino
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Colin J Sutherland
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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4
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Plenderleith LJ, Liu W, Li Y, Loy DE, Mollison E, Connell J, Ayouba A, Esteban A, Peeters M, Sanz CM, Morgan DB, Wolfe ND, Ulrich M, Sachse A, Calvignac-Spencer S, Leendertz FH, Shaw GM, Hahn BH, Sharp PM. Zoonotic origin of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium malariae from African apes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1868. [PMID: 35387986 PMCID: PMC8987028 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29306-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The human parasite Plasmodium malariae has relatives infecting African apes (Plasmodium rodhaini) and New World monkeys (Plasmodium brasilianum), but its origins remain unknown. Using a novel approach to characterise P. malariae-related sequences in wild and captive African apes, we found that this group comprises three distinct lineages, one of which represents a previously unknown, highly divergent species infecting chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas across central Africa. A second ape-derived lineage is much more closely related to the third, human-infective lineage P. malariae, but exhibits little evidence of genetic exchange with it, and so likely represents a separate species. Moreover, the levels and nature of genetic polymorphisms in P. malariae indicate that it resulted from the zoonotic transmission of an African ape parasite, reminiscent of the origin of P. falciparum. In contrast, P. brasilianum falls within the radiation of human P. malariae, and thus reflects a recent anthroponosis. Plasmodium malariae is a cause of malaria in humans and related species have been identified in non-human primates. Here, the authors use genomic analyses to establish that human P. malariae arose from a host switch of an ape parasite whilst a species infecting New World monkeys can be traced to a reverse zoonosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey J Plenderleith
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, UK.
| | - Weimin Liu
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yingying Li
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Dorothy E Loy
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.,Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Ewan Mollison
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Jesse Connell
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Ahidjo Ayouba
- Recherche Translationnelle Appliquée au VIH et aux Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, University of Montpellier, INSERM, 34090, Montpellier, France
| | - Amandine Esteban
- Recherche Translationnelle Appliquée au VIH et aux Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, University of Montpellier, INSERM, 34090, Montpellier, France
| | - Martine Peeters
- Recherche Translationnelle Appliquée au VIH et aux Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, University of Montpellier, INSERM, 34090, Montpellier, France
| | - Crickette M Sanz
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, 63130, USA.,Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, BP, 14537, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - David B Morgan
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, BP, 14537, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.,Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Fabian H Leendertz
- Robert Koch Institute, 13353, Berlin, Germany.,Helmholtz Institute for One Health, Greifswald, Germany
| | - George M Shaw
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.,Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Beatrice H Hahn
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.,Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Paul M Sharp
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, UK.
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5
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Monteiro EF, Fernandez-Becerra C, Araujo MDS, Messias MR, Ozaki LS, Duarte AMRDC, Bueno MG, Catao-Dias JL, Chagas CRF, Mathias BDS, dos Santos MG, Santos SV, Holcman MM, de Souza JC, Kirchgatter K. Naturally Acquired Humoral Immunity against Malaria Parasites in Non-Human Primates from the Brazilian Amazon, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9070525. [PMID: 32610598 PMCID: PMC7399928 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9070525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-human primates (NHPs) have been shown to be infected by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, the etiological agent of malaria in humans, creating potential risks of zoonotic transmission. Plasmodium brasilianum, a parasite species similar to P. malariae of humans, have been described in NHPs from Central and South America, including Brazil. The merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1), besides being a malaria vaccine candidate, is highly immunogenic. Due to such properties, we tested this protein for the diagnosis of parasite infection. We used recombinant proteins of P. malariae MSP1, as well as of P. falciparum and P. vivax, for the detection of antibodies anti-MSP1 of these parasite species, in the sera of NHPs collected in different regions of Brazil. About 40% of the NHP sera were confirmed as reactive to the proteins of one or more parasite species. A relatively higher number of reactive sera was found in animals from the Atlantic Forest than those from the Amazon region, possibly reflecting the former more intense parasite circulation among NHPs due to their proximity to humans at a higher populational density. The presence of Plasmodium positive NHPs in the surveyed areas, being therefore potential parasite reservoirs, needs to be considered in any malaria surveillance program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Ferreira Monteiro
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05403-000, Brazil; (E.F.M.); (A.M.R.d.C.D.); (B.d.S.M.)
| | - Carmen Fernandez-Becerra
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic—Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
- Germans Trias i Pujol Health Science Research Institute (IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Maisa da Silva Araujo
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO 76812-245, Brazil;
| | | | - Luiz Shozo Ozaki
- Life Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA;
| | - Ana Maria Ribeiro de Castro Duarte
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05403-000, Brazil; (E.F.M.); (A.M.R.d.C.D.); (B.d.S.M.)
- Departamento de Laboratórios Especializados, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, São Paulo, SP 01027-000, Brazil;
| | - Marina Galvão Bueno
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21040-900, Brazil;
| | - Jose Luiz Catao-Dias
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05508-270, Brazil;
| | - Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas
- Departamento de Pesquisas Aplicadas, Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 04301-905, Brazil;
- Institute of Ecology, Nature Research Centre, Vilnius 08412, Lithuania
| | - Bruno da Silva Mathias
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05403-000, Brazil; (E.F.M.); (A.M.R.d.C.D.); (B.d.S.M.)
| | - Mayra Gomes dos Santos
- Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul, São Paulo, SP 01311-925, Brazil; (M.G.d.S.); (S.V.S.)
| | - Stéfanie Vanessa Santos
- Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul, São Paulo, SP 01311-925, Brazil; (M.G.d.S.); (S.V.S.)
- Departamento de Anatomia Patológica, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, SP 01525-001, Brazil
| | - Marcia Moreira Holcman
- Departamento de Laboratórios Especializados, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, São Paulo, SP 01027-000, Brazil;
| | - Julio Cesar de Souza
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Fundação Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Blumenau, SC 89012-900, Brazil;
- Projeto Bugio, Centro de Pesquisas Biológicas, Indaial, SC 89130-000, Brazil
| | - Karin Kirchgatter
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05403-000, Brazil; (E.F.M.); (A.M.R.d.C.D.); (B.d.S.M.)
- Departamento de Laboratórios Especializados, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, São Paulo, SP 01027-000, Brazil;
- Correspondence:
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6
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Mathema VB, Nakeesathit S, Pagornrat W, Smithuis F, White NJ, Dondorp AM, Imwong M. Polymorphic markers for identification of parasite population in Plasmodium malariae. Malar J 2020; 19:48. [PMID: 31992308 PMCID: PMC6988369 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-3122-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Molecular genotyping in Plasmodium serves many aims including providing tools for studying parasite population genetics and distinguishing recrudescence from reinfection. Microsatellite typing, insertion-deletion (INDEL) and single nucleotide polymorphisms is used for genotyping, but only limited information is available for Plasmodium malariae, an important human malaria species. This study aimed to provide a set of genetic markers to facilitate the study of P. malariae population genetics. Methods Markers for microsatellite genotyping and pmmsp1 gene polymorphisms were developed and validated in symptomatic P. malariae field isolates from Myanmar (N = 37). Fragment analysis was used to determine allele sizes at each locus to calculate multiplicity of infections (MOI), linkage disequilibrium, heterozygosity and construct dendrograms. Nucleotide diversity (π), number of haplotypes, and genetic diversity (Hd) were assessed and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. Genome-wide microsatellite maps with annotated regions of newly identified markers were constructed. Results Six microsatellite markers were developed and tested in 37 P. malariae isolates which showed sufficient heterozygosity (0.530–0.922), and absence of linkage disequilibrium (IAS=0.03, p value > 0.05) (N = 37). In addition, a tandem repeat (VNTR)-based pmmsp1 INDEL polymorphisms marker was developed and assessed in 27 P. malariae isolates showing a nucleotide diversity of 0.0976, haplotype gene diversity of 0.698 and identified 14 unique variants. The size of VNTR consensus repeat unit adopted as allele was 27 base pairs. The markers Pm12_426 and pmmsp1 showed greatest diversity with heterozygosity scores of 0.920 and 0.835, respectively. Using six microsatellites markers, the likelihood that any two parasite strains would have the same microsatellite genotypes was 8.46 × 10−4 and was further reduced to 1.66 × 10−4 when pmmsp1 polymorphisms were included. Conclusions Six novel microsatellites genotyping markers and a set of pmmsp1 VNTR-based INDEL polymorphisms markers for P. malariae were developed and validated. Each marker could be independently or in combination employed to access genotyping of the parasite. The newly developed markers may serve as a useful tool for investigating parasite diversity, population genetics, molecular epidemiology and for distinguishing recrudescence from reinfection in drug efficacy studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Bhakta Mathema
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Supatchara Nakeesathit
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Watcharee Pagornrat
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Frank Smithuis
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicholas J White
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Arjen M Dondorp
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mallika Imwong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
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7
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Elizardez YB, Fotoran WL, Junior AJG, Curado I, Junior NK, Monteiro EF, Romero Neto I, Wunderlich G, Kirchgatter K. Recombinant proteins of Plasmodium malariae merozoite surface protein 1 (PmMSP1): Testing immunogenicity in the BALB/c model and potential use as diagnostic tool. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219629. [PMID: 31344067 PMCID: PMC6657842 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium malariae is the third most prevalent human malaria-causing species and has a patchy, but ample distribution in the world. Humans can host the parasite for years without presenting significant symptoms, turning its diagnosis and control into a difficult task. Here, we investigated the immunogenicity of recombinant proteins of P. malariae MSP1. Methods Five regions of PmMSP1 were expressed in Escherichia coli as GST-fusion proteins and immunized in BALB/c mice. The specificity, subtyping, and affinity of raised antibodies were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Cellular immune responses were analyzed by lymphoproliferation assays and cytokine levels produced by splenocytes were detected by cytometry. Results We found that N-terminal, central regions, and PmMSP119 are strongly immunogenic in mice. After three doses, the induced immune responses remained high for 70 days. While antibodies induced after immunization with N-terminal and central regions showed similar affinities to the target antigens, affinities of IgG against PmMSP119 were higher. All proteins induced similar antibody subclass patterns (predominantly IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b), characterizing a mixed Th1/Th2 response. Further, autologous stimulation of splenocytes from immunized mice led to the secretion of IL2 and IL4, independently of the antigen used. Importantly, IgG from P. malariae-exposed individuals reacted against PmMSP1 recombinant proteins with a high specificity. On the other hand, sera from P. vivax or P. falciparum-infected individuals did not react at all against recombinant PmMSP1 proteins. Conclusion Recombinant PmMSP1 proteins are very useful diagnostic markers of P. malariae in epidemiological studies or in the differential diagnosis of malaria caused by this species. Immunization with recombinant PmMSP1 proteins resulted in a significant humoral immune response, which may turn them potential component candidates for a vaccine against P. malariae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yelina B. Elizardez
- Núcleo de Estudos em Malária, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias/Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Wesley L. Fotoran
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andrés J. Galisteo Junior
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Izilda Curado
- Laboratório de Imunoepidemiologia, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Norival Kesper Junior
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eliana F. Monteiro
- Núcleo de Estudos em Malária, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias/Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Irineu Romero Neto
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gerhard Wunderlich
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Karin Kirchgatter
- Núcleo de Estudos em Malária, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias/Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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8
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Yorsaeng R, Saeseu T, Chotivanich K, Felger I, Wampfler R, Cui L, Mueller I, Sattabongkot J, Nguitragool W. Indigenous Plasmodium malariae Infection in an Endemic Population at the Thai-Myanmar Border. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2019; 100:1164-1169. [PMID: 30793693 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium malariae is a neglected malaria parasite. It has wide geographic distribution and, although often associated with mild malaria, is linked to a high burden of anemia and nephrotic syndromes. Here, we report a cohort study conducted in the Kanchanaburi Province of Thailand during May 2013-June 2014 in which P. malariae infection was detected. Of the 812 study participants, two were found to be infected with P. malariae. One had an infection that led to acute malaria, but the other was positive for P. malariae at multiple visits during the study and apparently had chronic asymptomatic infection. Such persistent infection may explain how P. malariae has been able to thrive at very low prevalence and represents a challenge for malaria elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritthideach Yorsaeng
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Teerawat Saeseu
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kesinee Chotivanich
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ingrid Felger
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rahel Wampfler
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Ivo Mueller
- Malaria: Parasites and Hosts Unit, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.,Population-Based Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Australia
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Wang Nguitragool
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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9
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Specificity of the IgG antibody response to Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae, and Plasmodium ovale MSP1 19 subunit proteins in multiplexed serologic assays. Malar J 2018; 17:417. [PMID: 30413163 PMCID: PMC6230236 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-018-2566-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Multiplex bead assays (MBA) that measure IgG antibodies to the carboxy-terminal 19-kDa sub-unit of the merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP119) are currently used to determine malaria seroprevalence in human populations living in areas with both stable and unstable transmission. However, the species specificities of the IgG antibody responses to the malaria MSP119 antigens have not been extensively characterized using MBA. Methods Recombinant Plasmodium falciparum (3D7), Plasmodium malariae (China I), Plasmodium ovale (Nigeria I), and Plasmodium vivax (Belem) MSP119 proteins were covalently coupled to beads for MBA. Threshold cut-off values for the assays were estimated using sera from US citizens with no history of foreign travel and by receiver operator characteristic curve analysis using diagnostic samples. Banked sera from experimentally infected chimpanzees, sera from humans from low transmission regions of Haiti and Cambodia (N = 12), and elutions from blood spots from humans selected from a high transmission region of Mozambique (N = 20) were used to develop an antigen competition MBA for antibody cross-reactivity studies. A sub-set of samples was further characterized using antibody capture/elution MBA, IgG subclass determination, and antibody avidity measurement. Results Total IgG antibody responses in experimentally infected chimpanzees were species specific and could be completely suppressed by homologous competitor protein at a concentration of 10 μg/ml. Eleven of 12 samples from the low transmission regions and 12 of 20 samples from the high transmission area had antibody responses that were completely species specific. For 7 additional samples, the P. falciparum MSP119 responses were species specific, but various levels of incomplete heterologous competition were observed for the non-P. falciparum assays. A pan-malaria MSP119 cross-reactive antibody response was observed in elutions of blood spots from two 20–30 years old Mozambique donors. The antibody response from one of these two donors had low avidity and skewed almost entirely to the IgG3 subclass. Conclusions Even when P. falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. vivax are co-endemic in a high transmission setting, most antibody responses to MSP119 antigens are species-specific and are likely indicative of previous infection history. True pan-malaria cross-reactive responses were found to occur rarely. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-018-2566-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Lo E, Nguyen K, Nguyen J, Hemming-Schroeder E, Xu J, Etemesi H, Githeko A, Yan G. Plasmodium malariae Prevalence and csp Gene Diversity, Kenya, 2014 and 2015. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 23:601-610. [PMID: 28322694 PMCID: PMC5367407 DOI: 10.3201/eid2304.161245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In Africa, control programs that target primarily Plasmodium falciparum are inadequate for eliminating malaria. To learn more about prevalence and genetic variability of P. malariae in Africa, we examined blood samples from 663 asymptomatic and 245 symptomatic persons from western Kenya during June–August of 2014 and 2015. P. malariae accounted for 5.3% (35/663) of asymptomatic infections and 3.3% (8/245) of clinical cases. Among asymptomatic persons, 71% (32/45) of P. malariae infections detected by PCR were undetected by microscopy. The low sensitivity of microscopy probably results from the significantly lower parasitemia of P. malariae. Analyses of P. malariae circumsporozoite protein gene sequences revealed high genetic diversity among P. malariae in Africa, but no clear differentiation among geographic populations was observed. Our findings suggest that P. malariae should be included in the malaria elimination strategy in Africa and highlight the need for sensitive and field-applicable methods to identify P. malariae in malaria-endemic areas.
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Srisutham S, Saralamba N, Sriprawat K, Mayxay M, Smithuis F, Nosten F, Pukrittayakamee S, Day NPJ, Dondorp AM, Imwong M. Genetic diversity of three surface protein genes in Plasmodium malariae from three Asian countries. Malar J 2018; 17:24. [PMID: 29325573 PMCID: PMC5765603 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-018-2176-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Genetic diversity of the three important antigenic proteins, namely thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP), apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1), and 6-cysteine protein (P48/45), all of which are found in various developmental stages of Plasmodium parasites is crucial for targeted vaccine development. While studies related to the genetic diversity of these proteins are available for Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, barely enough information exists regarding Plasmodium malariae. The present study aims to demonstrate the genetic variations existing among these three genes in P. malariae by analysing their diversity at nucleotide and protein levels. Methods Three surface protein genes were isolated from 45 samples collected in Thailand (N = 33), Myanmar (N = 8), and Lao PDR (N = 4), using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Then, the PCR products were sequenced and analysed using BioEdit, MEGA6, and DnaSP programs. Results The average pairwise nucleotide diversities (π) of P. malariae trap, ama1, and p48/45 were 0.00169, 0.00413, and 0.00029, respectively. The haplotype diversities (Hd) of P. malariae trap, ama1, and p48/45 were 0.919, 0.946, and 0.130, respectively. Most of the nucleotide substitutions were non-synonymous, which indicated that the genetic variations of these genes were maintained by positive diversifying selection, thus, suggesting their role as a potential target of protective immune response. Amino acid substitutions of P. malariae TRAP, AMA1, and P48/45 could be categorized to 17, 20, and 2 unique amino-acid variants, respectively. For further vaccine development, carboxyl terminal of P48/45 would be a good candidate according to conserved amino acid at low genetic diversity (π = 0.2–0.3). Conclusions High mutational diversity was observed in P. malariae trap and ama1 as compared to p48/45 in P. malariae samples isolated from Thailand, Myanmar, and Lao PDR. Taken together, these results suggest that P48/45 might be a good vaccine candidate against P. malariae infection because of its sufficiently low genetic diversity and highly conserved amino acids especially on the carboxyl end. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-018-2176-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suttipat Srisutham
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Naowarat Saralamba
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kanlaya Sriprawat
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Mayfong Mayxay
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic.,Faculty of Postgraduate Studies, University of Health Sciences, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Frank Smithuis
- Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar.,Centre for Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Francois Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mae Sot, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Sasithon Pukrittayakamee
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nicholas P J Day
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Arjen M Dondorp
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mallika Imwong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. .,Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Bueno MG, Catão-Dias JL, de Oliveira Laroque P, Arruda Vasconcellos S, Ferreira Neto JS, Gennari SM, Ferreira F, Laurenti MD, Umezawa ES, Kesper N, Kirchgatter K, Oliveira Guimarães L, Pavanato HJ, Valença-Montenegro MM. Infectious Diseases in Free-Ranging Blonde Capuchins, Sapajus flavius, in Brazil. INT J PRIMATOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-017-9994-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Li P, Zhao Z, Xing H, Li W, Zhu X, Cao Y, Yang Z, Sattabongkot J, Yan G, Fan Q, Cui L. Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale infections in the China-Myanmar border area. Malar J 2016; 15:557. [PMID: 27846879 PMCID: PMC5111346 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1605-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Greater Mekong Subregion is aiming to achieve regional malaria elimination by 2030. Though a shift in malaria parasite species predominance by Plasmodium vivax has been recently documented, the transmission of the two minor Plasmodium species, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale spp., is poorly characterized in the region. This study aims to determine the prevalence of these minor species in the China–Myanmar border area and their genetic diversity. Methods Epidemiology study was conducted during passive case detection in hospitals and clinics in Myanmar and four counties in China along the China–Myanmar border. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted in villages and camps for internally displaced persons to determine the prevalence of malaria infections. Malaria infections were diagnosed initially by microscopy and later in the laboratory using nested PCR for the SSU rRNA genes. Plasmodium malariae and P. ovale infections were confirmed by sequencing the PCR products. The P. ovale subtypes were determined by sequencing the Pocytb, Pocox1 and Pog3p genes. Parasite populations were evaluated by PCR amplification and sequencing of the MSP-1 genes. Antifolate sensitivity was assessed by sequencing the dhfr-ts and dhps genes from the P. malariae and P. ovale isolates. Results Analysis of 2701 blood samples collected from the China–Myanmar border by nested PCR targeting the parasite SSU rRNA genes identified 561 malaria cases, including 161 Plasmodium falciparum, 327 P. vivax, 66 P. falciparum/P. vivax mixed infections, 4 P. malariae and 3 P. ovale spp. P. vivax and P. falciparum accounted for >60 and ~30% of all malaria cases, respectively. In comparison, the prevalence of P. malariae and P. ovale spp. was very low and only made up ~1% of all PCR-positive cases. Nevertheless, these two species were often misidentified as P. vivax infections or completely missed by microscopy even among symptomatic patients. Phylogenetic analysis of the SSU rRNA, Pocytb, Pocox1 and Pog3p genes confirmed that the three P. ovale spp. isolates belonged to the subtype P. ovale curtisi. Low-level genetic diversity was detected in the MSP-1, dhfr and dhps genes of these minor parasite species, potentially stemming from the low prevalence of these parasites preventing their mixing. Whereas most of the dhfr and dhps positions equivalent to those conferring antifolate resistance in P. falciparum and P. vivax were wild type, a new mutation S113C corresponding to the S108 position in pfdhfr was identified in two P. ovale curtisi isolates. Conclusions The four human malaria parasite species all occurred sympatrically at the China–Myanmar border. While P. vivax has become the predominant species, the two minor parasite species also occurred at very low prevalence but were often misidentified or missed by conventional microscopy. These minor parasite species displayed low levels of polymorphisms in the msp-1, dhfr and dhps genes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-016-1605-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Li
- Dalian Institute of Biotechnology, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Zhenjun Zhao
- Dalian Institute of Biotechnology, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Hua Xing
- Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Wenli Li
- Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiaotong Zhu
- Department of Immunology, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yaming Cao
- Department of Immunology, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Zhaoqing Yang
- Department of Parasitology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | | | - Guiyun Yan
- University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Qi Fan
- Dalian Institute of Biotechnology, Dalian, Liaoning, China.
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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Sutherland CJ. Persistent Parasitism: The Adaptive Biology of Malariae and Ovale Malaria. Trends Parasitol 2016; 32:808-819. [PMID: 27480365 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2016.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2016] [Revised: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium malariae causes malaria in humans throughout the tropics and subtropics. Plasmodium ovale curtisi and Plasmodium ovale wallikeri are sympatric sibling species common in sub-Saharan Africa and also found in Oceania and Asia. Although rarely identified as the cause of malaria cases in endemic countries, PCR detection has confirmed all three parasite species to be more prevalent, and persistent, than previously thought. Chronic, low-density, multispecies asymptomatic infection is a successful biological adaptation by these Plasmodium spp., a pattern also observed among malaria parasites of wild primates. Current whole-genome analyses are illuminating the species barrier separating the ovale parasite species and reveal substantial expansion of subtelomeric gene families. The evidence for and against a quiescent pre-erythrocytic form of P. malariae is reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin J Sutherland
- Department of Immunology and Infection and Public Health England Malaria Reference Laboratory, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK; Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Mortimer Market Centre, Capper Street, London WC1E 6JB, UK.
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