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The epidemiology of multiple-clone Plasmodium falciparum infections in Gambian patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

D. J. Conway ,
B. M. Greenwood  and
J. S. McBride
D. J. Conway
Affiliation:
Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, Scotland, U.K.
B. M. Greenwood
Affiliation:
MRC Laboratories, Fajara, P.O. Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia, West Africa
J. S. McBride
Affiliation:
Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, Scotland, U.K.
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Extract

The occurrence of multiple-clone Plasmodium falciparum haploid blood-stage infections is a pre-requisite for cross-fertilization and genetic exchange at the diploid stage in the mosquito. Using monoclonal antibodies against 3 polymorphic blood-stage antigens, a method of two-colour differential immunofluorescence allowed the resolution of between 1 and 4 clones/isolate. A mean of 2 P. falciparum clones was detected in the blood of malaria patients in The Gambia. The mean number of clones/patient showed no correlation with age, parasitaemia, or disease severity. There was a slight difference in mean number between sample periods, probably reflecting temporal differences in transmission intensity. A statistical analysis of 2-locus genetic diversity of clones within isolates concludes that not all multiple-clone infections result from superinfection, but that some are due to single multiple-clone inoculations.

Keywords

Plasmodiummalariageneticscloneepidemiologyimmunofluorescence
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 103 , Issue 1 , August 1991 , pp. 1 - 5
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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References

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