This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Rubio, J. M.
Right arrow Articles by Alvar, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Rubio, J. M.
Right arrow Articles by Alvar, J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, October 1999, p. 3260-3264, Vol. 37, No. 10
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Usefulness of Seminested Multiplex PCR in Surveillance of Imported Malaria in Spain

J. M. Rubio,1 A. Benito,1,* P. J. Berzosa,1 J. Roche,1 S. Puente,2 M. Subirats,2 R. López-Vélez,3 L. García,1 and J. Alvar1,dagger

Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Tropical y Salud Internacional, Servicio de Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda,1 and Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Hospital Carlos III, Instituto de Salud Carlos III,2 and Unit of Tropical Medicine, Hospital Ramon y Cajal,3 Madrid, Spain

Received 29 April 1999/Returned for modification 17 June 1999/Accepted 19 July 1999

The use of a new PCR-based method for the diagnosis of malaria in the Spanish Malaria Reference Laboratory has promoted an increase in confirmed cases of malaria. From August 1997 to July 1998, a total of 192 whole-blood samples and 71 serum samples from 168 patients were received from the hospitals of the Spanish National Health System. Most of the patients came from west-central African countries (85%). This molecular method showed more sensitivity and specificity than microscopy, detecting 12.4% more positive samples than microscopy and 13% of mixed infections undetectable by Giemsa stain. Plasmodium falciparum was the main species detected, with 68% of the total positive malaria cases, followed by Plasmodium malariae (29%), Plasmodium vivax (14%), and Plasmodium ovale (7%), including mixed infections in all cases. This report consists of the first wide, centralized survey of malaria surveillance in Spain. The reference laboratory conducted the analysis of all imported cases in order to detect trends in acquisition. The use of a seminested multiplex PCR permitted confirmation of the origins of the infections and the Plasmodium species involved and confirmation of the effectiveness of drug treatments. This PCR also allowed the detection of the presence in Spain of primaquine-tolerant P. vivax strains from west-central Africa, as well as the detection of a P. falciparum infection induced by transfusion.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Servicio de Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ctra. Majadahonda-Pozuelo km 2, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain. Phone: 34-91-5097901. Fax: 34-91-5097966. E-mail: abenito{at}isciii.es.

dagger Present address: Christ's College, Cambridge CB2 3BU, United Kingdom.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, October 1999, p. 3260-3264, Vol. 37, No. 10
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Fernando, S. D., Abeyasinghe, R. R., Galappaththy, G. N. L., Rajapaksa, L. C. (2009). Absence of Asymptomatic Malaria Infections in Previously High Endemic Areas of Sri Lanka. Am J Trop Med Hyg 81: 763-767 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Calderaro, A., Piccolo, G., Perandin, F., Gorrini, C., Peruzzi, S., Zuelli, C., Ricci, L., Manca, N., Dettori, G., Chezzi, C., Snounou, G. (2007). Genetic Polymorphisms Influence Plasmodium ovale PCR Detection Accuracy. J. Clin. Microbiol. 45: 1624-1627 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Rougemont, M., Van Saanen, M., Sahli, R., Hinrikson, H. P., Bille, J., Jaton, K. (2004). Detection of Four Plasmodium Species in Blood from Humans by 18S rRNA Gene Subunit-Based and Species-Specific Real-Time PCR Assays. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42: 5636-5643 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Perandin, F., Manca, N., Calderaro, A., Piccolo, G., Galati, L., Ricci, L., Medici, M. C., Arcangeletti, M. C., Snounou, G., Dettori, G., Chezzi, C. (2004). Development of a Real-Time PCR Assay for Detection of Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, and Plasmodium ovale for Routine Clinical Diagnosis. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42: 1214-1219 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Rubio, J. M., Buhigas, I., Subirats, M., Baquero, M., Puente, S., Benito, A. (2001). Limited Level of Accuracy Provided by Available Rapid Diagnosis Tests for Malaria Enhances the Need for PCR-Based Reference Laboratories. J. Clin. Microbiol. 39: 2736-2737 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»