Author/Authors :
Shahbazi، Abbas نويسنده Research Center of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran , , Raeisi، Ahmad نويسنده , , Nateghpour، Mehdi نويسنده Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Nateghpour, Mehdi , Mohebali، Mehdi نويسنده Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mohebali, Mehdi , Asmar، Mehdi نويسنده Department of Parasitology, Pasteur Institute, Tehran, Iran Asmar, Mehdi , Mirhendi، Hossein نويسنده Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mirhendi, Hossein
Abstract :
Background:
The endemicity and transmission intensity levels of malaria are related to genetic diversity of the
parasites. Merozoite surface protein 3B (MSP3B) is an important marker for assessing the polymorphic nature of
Plasmodium vivax while it is also a vaccine candidate against the parasite.
Patients and methods:
In this study we investigated the genetic structure of P. vivax population by sequence analysis of
a polymorphic region of the P. vivax MSP3B gene in isolates from Iran. Blood samples were collected from 100 patients
with clinical symptoms. DNA was extracted and the target gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
The sequences of 17 samples were used for sequence analysis using nucleotide Blast search and ClustalW multiple
alignment. Phylogenetic tree was derived to describe the geographical branching and relationships.
Results:
A large number of nucleotide insertions and deletions were observed in the sequences of polymorphic region of
PvMSP3B gene that were not specific in each biotype. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was found extensively in
the sequences. The phylogenetic analysis did not show any significant geographical branching.
Conclusion:
The lack of any geographical branching and extensive polymorphism in MSP3B gene of P. vivax isolates
suggests that more investigations are needed to find a more suitable gene in order to develop a vaccine.
