Microsatellite characterization of Plasmodium falciparum from symptomatic and non-symptomatic infections from the Western Amazon reveals the existence of non-symptomatic infection-associated genotypes

Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2007 Jun;102(3):293-8. doi: 10.1590/s0074-02762007005000044.

Abstract

In Western Amazon areas with perennial malaria transmission, long term residents frequently develop partial immunity to malarial infection caused either by Plasmodium falciparum or P. vivax, resulting in a considerable number of non-symptomatically infected individuals. For yet unknown reasons, these individuals sporadically develop symptomatic malaria. In order to identify if determined parasite genotypes, defined by a combination of eleven microsatellite markers, were associated to different outcomes--symptomatic or asymptomatic malaria--we analyzed infecting P. falciparum parasites in a suburban riverine population. Despite of detecting a high degree of diversity in the analyzed samples, several microsatellite marker alleles appeared accumulated in parasites from non-symptomatic infections. This result may be interpreted that a number of microsatellites, which are not directly related to antigenic features, could be associated to the outcome of malarial infection. The result may also point to a low frequency of recombinatorial events which otherwise would dissociate genes under strong immune pressure from the relatively neutral microsatellite loci.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Animals
  • Brazil
  • DNA, Protozoan / genetics*
  • Genetic Markers
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology*
  • Microsatellite Repeats / genetics*
  • Plasmodium falciparum / genetics*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • DNA, Protozoan
  • Genetic Markers