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Article
Open AccessThe first complete genome of the simian malaria parasite Plasmodium brasilianum
Naturally occurring human infections by zoonotic Plasmodium species have been documented for P. knowlesi, P. cynomolgi, P. simium, P. simiovale, P. inui, P. inui-like, P. coatneyi, and P. brasilianum. Accurate de...
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Article
Open AccessA review of the WHO malaria rapid diagnostic test product testing programme (2008–2018): performance, procurement and policy
Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) emerged in the early 1990s into largely unregulated markets, and uncertain field performance was a major concern for the acceptance of tests for malaria case management. T...
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Article
Open AccessMultiplex malaria antigen detection by bead-based assay and molecular confirmation by PCR shows no evidence of Pfhrp2 and Pfhrp3 deletion in Haiti
The Plasmodium falciparum parasite is the only human malaria that produces the histidine-rich protein 2 and 3 (HRP2/3) antigens. Currently, HRP2/3 are widely used in malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), but sev...
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Article
Open AccessSpecificity of the IgG antibody response to Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae, and Plasmodium ovale MSP119 subunit proteins in multiplexed serologic assays
Multiplex bead assays (MBA) that measure IgG antibodies to the carboxy-terminal 19-kDa sub-unit of the merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP119) are currently used to determine malaria seroprevalence in human populati...
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Article
Open AccessAnalysis of erythrocyte dynamics in Rhesus macaque monkeys during infection with Plasmodium cynomolgi
Malaria is a major mosquito transmitted, blood-borne parasitic disease that afflicts humans. The disease causes anaemia and other clinical complications, which can lead to death. Plasmodium vivax is known for its...
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Article
Open AccessMalaria surveys using rapid diagnostic tests and validation of results using post hoc quantification of Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2
Rapid diagnostic test (RDT) positivity is supplanting microscopy as the standard measure of malaria burden at the population level. However, there is currently no standard for externally validating RDT results...
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Article
Open AccessPlasmodium malariae and P. ovale genomes provide insights into malaria parasite evolution
The genome sequences of the neglected human-infective malaria species Plasmodium malariae and P. ovale provide new insights into their biology that are pertinent to understanding their epidemiology and to the bro...
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Article
Open AccessEvaluation of the Illumigene Malaria LAMP: A Robust Molecular Diagnostic Tool for Malaria Parasites
Isothermal nucleic acid amplification assays such as the loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), are well suited for field use as they do not require thermal cyclers to amplify the DNA. To further facil...
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Open AccessPlasmodium cynomolgi infections in rhesus macaques display clinical and parasitological features pertinent to modelling vivax malaria pathology and relapse infections
Plasmodium vivax infections in humans or in new world monkeys pose research challenges that necessitate the use of alternative model systems. Plasmodium cynomolgi is a closely related ...
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Article
Open AccessQuantifying the removal of red blood cells in Macaca mulatta during a Plasmodium coatneyi infection
Malaria is the most deadly parasitic disease in humans globally, and the long-time coexistence with malaria has left indelible marks in the human genome that are the causes of a variety of genetic disorders. A...
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Article
Open AccessImmunogenicity of a chimeric Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein vaccine in Aotus monkeys
The production of properly folded, recombinant sub-unit Plasmodium falciparum malaria vaccine candidates in sufficient quantities is often a challenge. Success in vaccine immunogenicity studies in small animal mo...
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Open AccessMultiple comparisons analysis of serological data from an area of low Plasmodium falciparum transmission
As a nation reduces the burden of falciparum malaria, identifying areas of transmission becomes increasingly difficult. Over the past decade, the field of utilizing malaria serological assays to measure exposu...
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Article
Open AccessPan-Plasmodium band sensitivity for Plasmodium falciparum detection in combination malaria rapid diagnostic tests and implications for clinical management
Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are appropriate for case management, but persistent antigenaemia is a concern for HRP2-detecting RDTs in endemic areas. It has been suggested that pan-pLDH test bands on c...
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Article
Open AccessPrevalence of pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 gene deletions in Puerto Lempira, Honduras
Recent studies have demonstrated the deletion of the histidine-rich protein 2 (PfHRP2) gene (pfhrp2) in field isolates of Plasmodium falciparum, which could result in false negative test results when PfHRP2-based...
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Article
Open AccessPET-PCR method for the molecular detection of malaria parasites in a national malaria surveillance study in Haiti, 2011
Recently, a real-time PCR assay known as photo-induced electron transfer (PET)-PCR which relies on self-quenching primers for the detection of Plasmodium spp. and Plasmodium falciparum was described. PET-PCR assa...
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Article
Malarial liver parasites awaken in culture
The cure and elimination of malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax is hindered by the threat of relapse infections from undetectable dormant forms of the parasite in the liver. In a new breakthrough, using a related ...
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Open AccessMultiple genetic origins of histidine-rich protein 2 gene deletion in Plasmodium falciparum parasites from Peru
The majority of malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) detect Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (PfHRP2), encoded by the pfhrp2 gene. Recently, P. falciparum isolates from Peru were found to lack pfhr...
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Article
The malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax exhibits greater genetic diversity than Plasmodium falciparum
Jane Carlton and colleagues report the genome sequencing, de novo assembly and annotation of four Plasmodium vivax reference strains from diverse geographic locations. Their cross-species comparisons show that P....
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Article
Open AccessPlasmodium cynomolgi genome sequences provide insight into Plasmodium vivax and the monkey malaria clade
Jane Carlton, Kazuyuki Tanabe and colleagues report the draft genome sequences of three Plasmodium cynomolgi strains isolated from infected monkeys. Their comparative genomic analysis with P. vivax and P. knowles...
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Article
Open AccessDried Plasmodium falciparum-infected samples as positive controls for malaria rapid diagnostic tests
Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are central to fulfilling the WHO’s recommendation for parasitologic confirmation of all suspected cases of malaria. RDT performance may be compromised when exposed to the high te...
