High frequency of the Duffy-negative genotype and absence of Plasmodium vivax infections in Ghana
Abstract Background Recent studies from different malaria-endemic regions including western Africa have now shown that Plasmodium vivax can infect red blood cells (RBCs) and cause clinical disease in Duffy-negative people, though the Duffy-negative phenotype was thought to confer complete refractori...
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doaj-6e469418ca50400c96d12303b5f4fbc32021-02-21T12:46:18ZengBMCMalaria Journal1475-28752021-02-012011710.1186/s12936-021-03618-0High frequency of the Duffy-negative genotype and absence of Plasmodium vivax infections in GhanaCharles A. Brown0Prince J. Pappoe-Ashong1Nancy Duah2Anita Ghansah3Harry Asmah4Edwin Afari5Kwadwo A. Koram6School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of GhanaSchool of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of GhanaNoguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of GhanaNoguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of GhanaSchool of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of GhanaSchool of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of GhanaNoguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of GhanaAbstract Background Recent studies from different malaria-endemic regions including western Africa have now shown that Plasmodium vivax can infect red blood cells (RBCs) and cause clinical disease in Duffy-negative people, though the Duffy-negative phenotype was thought to confer complete refractoriness against blood invasion with P. vivax. The actual prevalence of P. vivax in local populations in Ghana is unknown and little information is available about the distribution of Duffy genotypes. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of P. vivax in both asymptomatic and symptomatic outpatients and the distribution of Duffy genotypes in Ghana. Methods DNA was extracted from dried blood spots (DBS) collected from 952 subjects (845 malaria patients and 107 asymptomatic persons) from nine locations in Ghana. Plasmodium species identification was carried out by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the small-subunit (SSU) rRNA genes. For P. vivax detection, a second PCR of the central region of the Pvcsp gene was carried out. Duffy blood group genotyping was performed by allele-specific PCR to detect the presence of the FY ES allele. Results No cases of P. vivax were detected in any of the samples by both PCR methods used. Majority of infections (542, 94.8%) in the malaria patient samples were due to P. falciparum with only 1 infection (0.0017%) due to Plasmodium malariae, and 2 infections (0.0034%) due to Plasmodium ovale. No case of mixed infection was identified. Of the samples tested for the FY ES allele from all the sites, 90.5% (862/952) had the FY ES allele. All positive samples were genotyped as FY*B-33/FY*B-33 (Duffy-negative homozygous) and therefore classified as Fy(a−b−). Conclusions No cases of P. vivax were detected by both PCRs and majority of the subjects tested carried the FY ES allele. The lack of P. vivax infections observed can be attributed to the high frequency of the FY ES allele that silences erythroid expression of the Duffy. These results provide insights on the host susceptibility for P. vivax infections that had not been investigated in Ghana before.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-021-03618-0Plasmodium vivaxMalariaDuffy blood groupDuffy-negativeGhana |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Charles A. Brown Prince J. Pappoe-Ashong Nancy Duah Anita Ghansah Harry Asmah Edwin Afari Kwadwo A. Koram |
spellingShingle |
Charles A. Brown Prince J. Pappoe-Ashong Nancy Duah Anita Ghansah Harry Asmah Edwin Afari Kwadwo A. Koram High frequency of the Duffy-negative genotype and absence of Plasmodium vivax infections in Ghana Malaria Journal Plasmodium vivax Malaria Duffy blood group Duffy-negative Ghana |
author_facet |
Charles A. Brown Prince J. Pappoe-Ashong Nancy Duah Anita Ghansah Harry Asmah Edwin Afari Kwadwo A. Koram |
author_sort |
Charles A. Brown |
title |
High frequency of the Duffy-negative genotype and absence of Plasmodium vivax infections in Ghana |
title_short |
High frequency of the Duffy-negative genotype and absence of Plasmodium vivax infections in Ghana |
title_full |
High frequency of the Duffy-negative genotype and absence of Plasmodium vivax infections in Ghana |
title_fullStr |
High frequency of the Duffy-negative genotype and absence of Plasmodium vivax infections in Ghana |
title_full_unstemmed |
High frequency of the Duffy-negative genotype and absence of Plasmodium vivax infections in Ghana |
title_sort |
high frequency of the duffy-negative genotype and absence of plasmodium vivax infections in ghana |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
Malaria Journal |
issn |
1475-2875 |
publishDate |
2021-02-01 |
description |
Abstract Background Recent studies from different malaria-endemic regions including western Africa have now shown that Plasmodium vivax can infect red blood cells (RBCs) and cause clinical disease in Duffy-negative people, though the Duffy-negative phenotype was thought to confer complete refractoriness against blood invasion with P. vivax. The actual prevalence of P. vivax in local populations in Ghana is unknown and little information is available about the distribution of Duffy genotypes. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of P. vivax in both asymptomatic and symptomatic outpatients and the distribution of Duffy genotypes in Ghana. Methods DNA was extracted from dried blood spots (DBS) collected from 952 subjects (845 malaria patients and 107 asymptomatic persons) from nine locations in Ghana. Plasmodium species identification was carried out by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the small-subunit (SSU) rRNA genes. For P. vivax detection, a second PCR of the central region of the Pvcsp gene was carried out. Duffy blood group genotyping was performed by allele-specific PCR to detect the presence of the FY ES allele. Results No cases of P. vivax were detected in any of the samples by both PCR methods used. Majority of infections (542, 94.8%) in the malaria patient samples were due to P. falciparum with only 1 infection (0.0017%) due to Plasmodium malariae, and 2 infections (0.0034%) due to Plasmodium ovale. No case of mixed infection was identified. Of the samples tested for the FY ES allele from all the sites, 90.5% (862/952) had the FY ES allele. All positive samples were genotyped as FY*B-33/FY*B-33 (Duffy-negative homozygous) and therefore classified as Fy(a−b−). Conclusions No cases of P. vivax were detected by both PCRs and majority of the subjects tested carried the FY ES allele. The lack of P. vivax infections observed can be attributed to the high frequency of the FY ES allele that silences erythroid expression of the Duffy. These results provide insights on the host susceptibility for P. vivax infections that had not been investigated in Ghana before. |
topic |
Plasmodium vivax Malaria Duffy blood group Duffy-negative Ghana |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-021-03618-0 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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