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Malaria Journal
Published in: Malaria Journal 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Chloroquin | Case report

A case of Plasmodium malariae recurrence: recrudescence or reinfection?

Authors: Romualdo Grande, Spinello Antinori, Luca Meroni, Michela Menegon, Carlo Severini

Published in: Malaria Journal | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

Plasmodium malariae is the most neglected of the six human malaria species and it is still unknown which is the mechanism underlying the long latency of this Plasmodium.

Case presentation

A case of PCR-confirmed P. malariae recurrence in a 52-year old Italian man was observed 5 months after a primary attack. In the interval between the two observed episodes of malaria the patient denied any further stay in endemic areas except for a visit to Libya, a country considered malaria-free. Genomic DNA of the P. malariae strain using five microsatellites (PM2, PM9, PM11, PM25, PM34) and the antigen marker of circumsporozoite (csp) was amplified and sequenced. Analysis of polymorphisms of the P. malariae csp central repeat region showed differences between the strains responsible of the first and second episode of malaria. A difference in the allele size was also observed for the sequence analysis of PM2 microsatellites.

Conclusions

Plasmodium malariae is a challenging human malaria parasite and even with the use of molecular techniques the pathogenesis of recurrent episodes cannot be precisely explained.
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Metadata
Title
A case of Plasmodium malariae recurrence: recrudescence or reinfection?
Authors
Romualdo Grande
Spinello Antinori
Luca Meroni
Michela Menegon
Carlo Severini
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Malaria Journal / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1475-2875
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-019-2806-y

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