Transcription and Copy Number Variation of Plasmodium falciparum var2csa among Nonpregnant Malaria Patients in Thailand.

Placental malaria is an important cause of fetomaternal morbidity and mortality among pregnant women infected with Plasmodium falciparum. The pathogenesis involves the binding of VAR2CSA on the surface of infected erythrocytes to chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans on syncytiotrophoblasts in the intervillous space of the placenta. Anti-VAR2CSA antibodies confer protection from adverse pregnancy outcomes in falciparum malaria; therefore, VAR2CSA is a strong vaccine candidate against placental malaria.

Anti-Plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein 3 ϒ (PvMSP3 ϒ) antibodies upon natural infection.

Merozoite surface protein 3 of Plasmodium vivax (PvMSP3) contains a repertoire of protein members with unique sequence organization. While the biological functions of these proteins await elucidation, PvMSP3 has been suggested to be potential vaccine targets. To date, studies on natural immune responses to this protein family have been confined to two members, PvMSP3α and PvMSP3β.

Usefulness of a new immunochromatographic assay using fluorescent silica nanoparticles for serodiagnosis of Thai patients with amebiasis.

A fluorescence immunochromatography (FIC) kit was developed recently using fluorescent silica nanoparticles coated with a recombinant C-terminal fragment of the surface lectin intermediate subunit (C-Igl) of Entamoeba histolytica to establish rapid serodiagnosis of amebiasis. We further evaluated the system using serum samples from 52 Thai patients with amebiasis. Of the patients, 50 (96%) tested positive using FIC.