A nationwide study of imported Plasmodium ovale and mixed infections in Israel 2008-2020.

J Travel Med

The Center for Geographic Medicine and Tropical Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Dereh Sheba 2, Ramat Gan, Israel.

Published: July 2022

Background: Plasmodium ovale is a rather neglected plasmodium. Rarity, a milder disease, and diagnostic difficulties compared with P. falciparum and P. vivax have led to this situation. This study's objective is to present the epidemiological and diagnostical characteristics of imported P. ovale malaria in Israel.

Methods: Malaria is a reportable disease in Israel. All highly suspected cases are sent to the Ministry of Health central parasitology laboratory for molecular verification. We retrieved epidemiological and diagnostic data on all polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-proven P. ovale infections imported to between 2008 and 2020.

Results: In total, 508 malaria cases were identified, 489 monoinfections and 19 (3.7%) mixed. Fifty-one (10%) were due to P. ovale, among them 13 (25%) were mixed, comprising 68% of all mixed infections. Forty-eight of 51 (94%) underwent blood microscopy, with a sensitivity of 94% (45/48) for genus identification and 15% (7/48) for P. ovale identification. Only 8% (1/12) of mixed infections were identified as such by microscopy. Forty-two (82%) patients underwent RDTs, with a sensitivity of 69% (29/42) for genus identification, and 62% (26/42) for identifying non-falciparum infections. Cycle threshold (Ct) values of P. ovale were significantly higher compared with P. falciparum and P. vivax in both mono and mixed infections (P < 0.05, P < 0.005). Ct levels in RDT positive vs negative infections differed significantly (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: P. ovale is commonly imported to Israel from Africa, with a high rate of mixed infections. The use of RDTs and microscopy is insufficient for the species-specific diagnosis of P. ovale, and must be complemented by PCR.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taab192DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

mixed infections
16
plasmodium ovale
8
compared falciparum
8
falciparum vivax
8
genus identification
8
ovale
7
mixed
6
infections
6
nationwide study
4
study imported
4

Similar Publications

Background: During the 2023-dengue outbreak in Bangladesh, a diagnostic evaluation study was conducted to investigate concurrent Zika virus (ZIKV) and dengue virus (DENV) transmission in Dhaka in 2023.

Aims: The study explored to simultaneously detect the presence of ZIKV, DENV, and/or CHIKV while considering relevant clinical and epidemiological risk factors, using a real-time multiplex RT-PCR system. Following this, it was planned to sequence the selected samples to identify genetic variations of the ZIKV infections within the population.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pathogenesis of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 co-infection at the extremes of age: decipher the ominous tales of immune vulnerability.

Adv Biotechnol (Singap)

January 2025

National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.

The co-circulation of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 has led to co-infection events, primarily affecting children and older adults, who are at higher risk for severe disease. Although co-infection prevalence is relatively low, it is associated with worse outcomes compared to mono-infections. Previous studies have shown that the outcomes of co-infection depend on multiple factors, including viral interference, virus-host interaction and host response.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The inhibitory effect of Hypericum japonicum on H9N2 avian influenza virus.

Adv Biotechnol (Singap)

November 2024

State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.

The H9N2 subtype of avian influenza virus (AIV) causes severe immunosuppression and high mortality in view of its frequent co-infection with other pathogens, resulting in significant economic losses in the poultry industry. Current vaccines provide suboptimal immune protection against H9N2 AIV owing to antigenic variations, highlighting the urgent need for safe and effective antiviral drugs for the prevention and treatment of this virus. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effects of Hypericum japonicum extract on H9N2 AIV.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Spatiotemporal analysis of visceral leishmaniasis in Belo Horizonte, Brazil: a historical perspective (1994-2018).

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg

January 2025

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, CEP 31270901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Background: In the Americas, visceral leishmaniasis (VL) results from the zoonotic transmission of Leishmania infantum. VL has a high occurrence rate in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte (BH), Minas Gerais, Brazil, and has rapidly spread throughout the municipality since it was first recorded in 1994. This research analysed a historical perspective over 25 y of human VL occurrence in BH.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Self-transmissible IncC plasmids rapidly spread multidrug resistance in many medically important pathogens worldwide. A large plasmid of this type (pIP1202, ~80 Kb) has been isolated in a clinical isolate of , the agent of plague. Here, we report that pIP1202 was highly stable in infected mice and fleas and did not reduce virulence in these animals.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!