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The biology of unconventional invasion of Duffy-negative reticulocytes byPlasmodium vivaxand its implication in malaria epidemiology and public health
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

The biology of unconventional invasion of Duffy-negative reticulocytes byPlasmodium vivaxand its implication in malaria epidemiology and public health

Lemu Golassa, Lucas Amenga-Etego, Eugenia Lo and Alfred Amambua-Ngwa
Malaria journal, v 19(1), 299
24 Aug 2020
PMID: 32831093
url
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-020-03372-9View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Infectious Diseases Life Sciences & Biomedicine Parasitology Science & Technology Tropical Medicine
Plasmodium vivaxhas been largely neglected over the past century, despite a widespread recognition of its burden across region where it is endemic. The parasite invades reticulocytes, employing the interaction betweenPlasmodium vivaxDuffy binding protein (PvDBP) and human Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC). However,P. vivaxhas now been observed in Duffy-negative individuals, presenting a potentially serious public health problem as the majority of African populations are Duffy-negative. Invasion of Duffy-negative reticulocytes is suggested to be through duplication of the PvDBP and a novel protein encoded byP. vivaxerythrocyte binding protein (EBP) genes. The emergence and spread of specificP. vivaxstrains with ability to invade Duffy-negative reticulocytes has, therefore, drawn substantial attention and further complicated the epidemiology and public health implication of vivax malaria. Given the right environment and vectorial capacity for transmission coupled with the parasite's ability to invade Duffy-negative individuals,P. vivaxcould increase its epidemiological significance in Africa. In this review, authors present accruing knowledge on the paradigm shift inP. vivaxinvasion of Duffy-negative reticulocytes against the established mechanism of invading only Duffy-positive individuals and offer a perspective on the epidemiological diagnostic and public health implication in Africa.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Infectious Diseases
Parasitology
Tropical Medicine
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