Use of a rapid, single-round, multiplex PCR to detect malarial parasites and identify the species present

D Padley; A H Moody; P L Chiodini; J Saldanha

doi:10.1179/000349803125002977

Use of a rapid, single-round, multiplex PCR to detect malarial parasites and identify the species present

Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 2003 Mar;97(2):131-7. doi: 10.1179/000349803125002977.

Authors

D Padley¹, A H Moody, P L Chiodini, J Saldanha

Affiliation

¹ Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms EN6 3QG, UK. dpadley@nibsc.ac.uk

PMID: 12803868
DOI: 10.1179/000349803125002977

Abstract

A new, rapid assay, based on a single-round, multiplex PCR, can be used to detect Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae or P. ovale in human blood. The PCR, which targets the conserved 18S small-subunit RNA genes of the parasites, not only permits a malarial infection to be detected but also allows each Plasmodium species present to be identified, even in cases of mixed infection.

MeSH terms

Animals
DNA, Protozoan / analysis
Humans
Malaria / diagnosis*
Malaria / parasitology
Parasitemia / diagnosis*
Parasitemia / parasitology
Plasmodium / isolation & purification*
Plasmodium falciparum / isolation & purification
Plasmodium malariae / isolation & purification
Plasmodium ovale / isolation & purification
Plasmodium vivax / isolation & purification
Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

DNA, Protozoan