Dorcas Bredu1, Dickson Donu1, Linda Eva Amoah1,2. 1. Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. 2. West Africa Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Monitoring changes in the composition of the Plasmodium species circulating within the population over a period can inform appropriate treatment recommendations. This study monitored variations in the prevalence of four common human Plasmodium species carried by children with asymptomatic malaria infections over a two-year period. METHODS: Two cross-sectional studies were conducted in November 2017 and December 2019. A total of 210 children aged between 4 and 13 years were recruited in 2017, and 164 similarly aged children were recruited in 2019. Approximately 150 μl of finger-pricked blood was used to prepare thick and thin blood smears as well as spot Whatman® #3 filter paper. Genomic DNA was extracted from the dried blood spots and used in PCR to amplify the 18S rRNA gene from four different human Plasmodium parasites. RESULTS: Parasite prevalence by microscopy and the prevalence of P. falciparum detected by PCR was relatively similar at the two time points (Pearson chi-square = 0.405, p=0.525, and Pearson chi-square = 0.452, p=0.501, respectively). However, the prevalence of PCR detectable P. malariae increased by 8.5-fold, whilst P. ovale increased from 0 to 9% in the children sampled in 2019 relative to the children sampled in 2017. The only parasite species identified by microscopy in this study was P. falciparum, and no P. vivax was identified by either microscopy or PCR in the study population during the study period. CONCLUSION: There is the need to implement molecular diagnostic tools for malaria parasite surveillance in Ghana. This will enable the identification and treatment of all circulating malaria parasites including P. malariae and P. ovale, whose population is expanding in parts of Ghana including Simiw.
BACKGROUND: Monitoring changes in the composition of the Plasmodium species circulating within the population over a period can inform appropriate treatment recommendations. This study monitored variations in the prevalence of four common human Plasmodium species carried by children with asymptomatic malaria infections over a two-year period. METHODS: Two cross-sectional studies were conducted in November 2017 and December 2019. A total of 210 children aged between 4 and 13 years were recruited in 2017, and 164 similarly aged children were recruited in 2019. Approximately 150 μl of finger-pricked blood was used to prepare thick and thin blood smears as well as spot Whatman® #3 filter paper. Genomic DNA was extracted from the dried blood spots and used in PCR to amplify the 18S rRNA gene from four different human Plasmodium parasites. RESULTS: Parasite prevalence by microscopy and the prevalence of P. falciparum detected by PCR was relatively similar at the two time points (Pearson chi-square = 0.405, p=0.525, and Pearson chi-square = 0.452, p=0.501, respectively). However, the prevalence of PCR detectable P. malariae increased by 8.5-fold, whilst P. ovale increased from 0 to 9% in the children sampled in 2019 relative to the children sampled in 2017. The only parasite species identified by microscopy in this study was P. falciparum, and no P. vivax was identified by either microscopy or PCR in the study population during the study period. CONCLUSION: There is the need to implement molecular diagnostic tools for malaria parasite surveillance in Ghana. This will enable the identification and treatment of all circulating malaria parasites including P. malariae and P. ovale, whose population is expanding in parts of Ghana including Simiw.
Authors: Siobhan Langford; Nicholas M Douglas; Daniel A Lampah; Julie A Simpson; Enny Kenangalem; Paulus Sugiarto; Nicholas M Anstey; Jeanne Rini Poespoprodjo; Ric N Price Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2015-12-31
Authors: Ingrid Chen; Siân E Clarke; Roly Gosling; Busiku Hamainza; Gerry Killeen; Alan Magill; Wendy O'Meara; Ric N Price; Eleanor M Riley Journal: PLoS Med Date: 2016-01-19 Impact factor: 11.069
Authors: Bipin Adhikari; Koukeo Phommasone; Tiengkham Pongvongsa; Xayaphone Soundala; Palingnaphone Koummarasy; Gisela Henriques; Thomas J Peto; Lorenz von Seidlein; Nicholas J White; Nicholas P J Day; Arjen M Dondorp; Paul N Newton; Phaik Yeong Cheah; Mayfong Mayxay; Christopher Pell Journal: PLoS One Date: 2018-12-11 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: John Williams; Fanta Njie; Matthew Cairns; Kalifa Bojang; Sheick Oumar Coulibaly; Kassoum Kayentao; Ismaela Abubakar; Francis Akor; Khalifa Mohammed; Richard Bationo; Edgar Dabira; Alamissa Soulama; Moussa Djimdé; Etienne Guirou; Timothy Awine; Stephen L Quaye; Jaume Ordi; Ogobara Doumbo; Abraham Hodgson; Abraham Oduro; Pascal Magnussen; Feiko O Ter Kuile; Arouna Woukeu; Paul Milligan; Harry Tagbor; Brian Greenwood; Daniel Chandramohan Journal: Malar J Date: 2016-01-29 Impact factor: 2.979
Authors: Albert Lalremruata; Sankarganesh Jeyaraj; Thomas Engleitner; Fanny Joanny; Annika Lang; Sabine Bélard; Ghyslain Mombo-Ngoma; Michael Ramharter; Peter G Kremsner; Benjamin Mordmüller; Jana Held Journal: Malar J Date: 2017-10-03 Impact factor: 2.979
Authors: Linda Eva Amoah; Dickson Donu; Benjamin Abuaku; Colins Ahorlu; Daniel Arhinful; Edwin Afari; Keziah Malm; Kwadwo Ansah Koram Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2019-12-02 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Linda E Amoah; Kwame K Asare; Donu Dickson; Sherik-Fa Anang; Abena Busayo; Dorcas Bredu; George Asumah; Nana Peprah; Alexander Asamoah; Benjamin Abuaku; Keziah L Malm Journal: Parasit Vectors Date: 2022-01-28 Impact factor: 3.876