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- Title
Allelic dimorphism of the erythocyte binding antigen-175 (eba-175) gene of Plasmodium falciparum and severe malaria: Significant association of the C-segment with fatal outcome in Ghanaian children.
- Authors
Cramer, Jakob P.; Mockenhaupt, Frank P.; Möhl, Ingo; Dittrich, Sabine; Dietz, Ekkehardt; Otchwemah, Rowland N.; Ehrhardt, Stephan; Bienzle, Ulrich; Jelinek, Tomas
- Abstract
Background: The erythrocyte binding antigen-175 (EBA-175) on Plasmodium falciparum merozoites mediates sialic acid dependent binding to glycophorin A on host erythrocytes and, therefore, plays a crucial role in cell invasion. Dimorphic allele segments have been found in its encoding gene with a 342 bp segment present in FCR-3 strains (F-segment) and a 423 bp segment in CAMP strains (C-segment). Possible associations of the dimorphism with severe malaria have been analysed in a case-control study in northern Ghana. Methods: Blood samples of 289 children with severe malaria and 289 matched parasitaemic but asymptomatic controls were screened for eba-175 F- and C-segments by nested polymerase chain reaction. Results: In children with severe malaria, prevalences of F-, C- and mixed F-/C-segments were 70%, 19%, and 11%, respectively. The C-segment was found more frequently in severe malaria cases whereas mixed infections were more common in controls. Infection with strains harbouring the Csegment significantly increased the risk of fatal outcome. Conclusion: The results show that the C-segment is associated with fatal outcome in children with severe malaria in northern Ghana, suggesting that it may contribute to the virulence of the parasite.
- Subjects
GHANA; ALLELES; ANTIGENS; GENES; PLASMODIUM falciparum; MALARIA
- Publication
Malaria Journal, 2004, Vol 3, p1
- ISSN
1475-2875
- Publication type
Article