A novel detection of a single Plasmodium falciparum in infected blood.

Detection of Plasmodium falciparum malaria by a specific DNA probe is a highly promising means for epidemiological surveillance of human malaria. However, none of presently available DNA probe methods could detect as little as a few parasites in infected blood. By amplification of a specific 206 base pairs P. falciparum DNA sequence using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), as little as 0.01 picogram DNA or one-half of a parasite was sufficient for a specific detection. A PCR procedure for detection of P. falciparum in infected blood without prior DNA extraction was also developed which was sensitive for a single parasite. The procedure was simple and should be applicable for a large scale epidemiological study involving a very low parasitemia situation.