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Prevalence and Characteristics of Plasmodium vivax Gametocytes in Duffy-Positive and Duffy-Negative Populations across Ethiopia
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Prevalence and Characteristics of Plasmodium vivax Gametocytes in Duffy-Positive and Duffy-Negative Populations across Ethiopia

Ebony Little, Tassew T. Shenkutie, Meshesha Tsigie Negash, Beka R. Abagero, Abnet Abebe, Jean Popovici, Sindew Mekasha Feleke and Eugenia Lo
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, v 110(6), pp 1091-1099
05 Jun 2024
PMID: 38626749
url
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.23-0877View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open CC BY V4.0

Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine Public, Environmental & Occupational Health Science & Technology Malaria Tropical Medicine
Plasmodium parasites replicate asexually in human hosts. The proportion of infections that carries gametocytes is a proxy for human -to -mosquito transmissibility. It is unclear which proportion of Plasmodium vivax infections in Duffy -negative populations carries gametocytes. We determined the prevalence and characteristics of P. vivax gametocytes in Duffy -positive and -negative populations across broad regions of Ethiopia. Finger -prick blood samples were collected for microscopic and molecular screening of Plasmodium parasites and Duffy status of individuals. Molecular screening of Plasmodium species and Duffy blood group genotyping was done using SYBR green and the Taqman quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. Of the 447 febrile patients who were shown to be P. vivax smear positive, 414 (92.6%) were confirmed by molecular screening as P. vivax and 16 (3.9%) of them were from Duffy -negative individuals. Of these, 5 of 16 (31.3%) Duffy -negative P. vivax -infected samples were detected with gametocytes. Of the 398 Duffy -positive P. vivax -infected samples, 150 (37.7%) were detected with gametocytes, slightly greater than that in Duffy -negative samples. This study highlights the presence of P. vivax gametocytes in Duffy -negative infections, suggestive of human -to -mosquito transmissibility. Although P. vivax infections in Duffy -negative individuals were commonly associated with low parasitemia, some of these infections were shown to have relatively high parasitemia and may represent a prominent erythrocyte invasion capability of P. vivax , and hidden reservoirs that can contribute to transmission. A better understanding of P. vivax transmission biology and gametocyte function particularly in Duffy -negative populations would aid future treatment and management of P. vivax malaria in Africa.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Tropical Medicine
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