Abstract
The currently used malaria vaccine; the RTS,S, is designed based on the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP). The PfCSP gene, besides having different polymorphic patterns, can vary between P. falciparum isolates due to geographical origin and host immune response. Such aspects are essential when considering the deployment of the RTS,S vaccine in a certain region. Therefore, in this study we assessed the genetic diversity of P. falciparum in Sudan based on the PfCSP gene by investigating the diversity at the N-terminal, central repeat, and the C-terminal regions. The results of the N-terminal region showed the presence of 2 different haplotypes with a haplotype diversity (Hapd) of 0.425 ± 0.00727. The presence of the unique insertion of NNNGDNGREGKDEDKRDGNN was reported. The KLKQP motif was conserved in all the studied isolates. At the central repeat region, 11 haplotypes were seen with a Hapd of 0.779 ± 0.00097. The analysis of the genetic diversity in the C-terminal region showed the presence of 10 haplotypes with a Hapd of 0.457 ± 0.073. In this study, the results indicated a high conservation at the PfCSP gene. This may further contribute in understanding the genetic polymorphisms of P. falciparum prior to the deployment of the RTS,S vaccine in Sudan.
Prevalence of Malaria and Genetic Diversity and Antibody Response to Malaria Vaccine Candidate (Eba-175) in Children in Ngali and Mfou, Central Region of Cameroon
