Molecular surveillance of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 deletions in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Mozambique

• Published in: Malaria Journal
• Main Authors: Himanshu Gupta, Gloria Matambisso, Beatriz Galatas, Pau Cisteró, Lidia Nhamussua, Wilson Simone, Jane Cunningham, N. Regina Rabinovich, Pedro Alonso, Francisco Saute, Pedro Aide, Alfredo Mayor
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2017
• Subjects: Malaria; Deletion; RDT; Mozambique; Pfhrp2; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-017-2061-z; https://doaj.org/article/717429bc75324f27b6d449cfa9344ae6

Abstract Background Malaria programmes use Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein-2 (PfHRP2) based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria diagnosis. The deletion of this target antigen could potentially lead to misdiagnosis, delayed treatment and continuation of active transmission. Methods Plasmodium falciparum isolates (n = 1162) collected in Southern Mozambique were assessed by RDTs, microscopy and/or 18SrRNA qPCR. pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 deletions were investigated in isolates from individuals who were negative by RDT but positive by microscopy and/or qPCR (n = 69) using gene-specific PCRs, with kelch13 PCR as the parasite DNA control. Results Lack of pfhrp2 PCR amplification was observed in one of the 69 isolates subjected to molecular analysis [1.45% (95% CI 0.3–7.8%)]. Conclusions The low prevalence of pfhrp2 deletions suggests that RDTs will detect the vast majority of the P. falciparum infections. Nevertheless, active surveillance for changing deletion frequencies is required.