Malaria screening: what is the contribution of molecular biology?

Autor:	Belgacem S; Microbiology Laboratory, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, Monastir.; Parasitology - Medical and Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory (LR12ES08), Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, Tunisia., Bettaieb M; Parasitology - Medical and Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory (LR12ES08), Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, Tunisia., Houas N; Parasitology - Medical and Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory (LR12ES08), Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, Tunisia., Chouchène S; Human genome and multifactorial diseases research laboratory (LR12ES07), Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, Tunisia., Mastouri M; Microbiology Laboratory, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, Monastir.; Transmissible Diseases and Biologically Active Substances Research Laboratory (LR99ES27), Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, Tunisia., Babba H; Parasitology - Medical and Molecular Mycology Research Laboratory (LR12ES08), Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, Tunisia.
Jazyk:	francouzština
Zdroj:	La Tunisie medicale [Tunis Med] 2024 Aug 05; Vol. 102 (8), pp. 491-495. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Aug 05.
DOI:	10.62438/tunismed.v102i8.4949
Abstrakt:	Introduction: According to the World Health Organization, Microscopy is the gold standard for diagnosing malaria. However, the performance of this examination depends on the experience of the microscopist and the level of parasitemia. Thus, molecular biology detection of malaria could be an alternative technique. Aim: evaluate the contribution of molecular biology in detecting imported malaria. Methods: This was a descriptive, prospective study, including all students, from the Monastir region, and foreigners, from countries endemic to malaria. The study period was from September 2020 to April 2021. Each subject was screened for malaria by three methods: direct microscopic detection of Plasmodium, detection of plasmodial antigens, and detection of plasmodial DNA by nested PCR. Results: Among the 127 subjects screened, only one had a positive microscopic examination for Plasmodium falciparum. Among the 126 subjects with a negative microscopic examination, twelve students had a positive nested PCR result, i.e. 9.5%. Molecular sequencing allowed the identification of ten isolates of Plasmodium falciparum, one Plasmodium malariae and one Plasmodium ovale. Our study showed that the results of nested PCR agreed with those of microscopy in 90.6% of cases. Conclusion: Nested PCR seems more sensitive for the detection of low parasitemias. Hence the importance of including molecular biology as a malaria screening tool to ensure better detection of imported cases.
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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