An Imported Case of Repeated Infections of Plasmodium vivax Malaria

Ting-Yi Chiang

2007 Vol.23 NO.2

Correspondence Author: Ting-Yi Chiang

Abstract:

In 2006, one case was reported to have two episodes of malaria after returning form Indonesia in January and June. The pathogens in these two episodes, as revealed by microscopy and PCR for the SSU-rRNA gene, were both Plasmodium vivax. To further clarify whether these two episodes were caused by relapse or re-infection, sequencing of the csp and mspl block genes was used to compare the differences between these two P vivax strains. The results showed that there were one 54 bp and other small deletions in the csp sequence, and several longer deletion in the mspl block 2 sequence. While comparing with csp and mspl block 2 sequences of other P vivax strains in the GenBank, the two sequences belonged to two different groups, suggesting that the two P vivax strains should be from different subtypes. Therefore, we concluded that the second episode was caused
by re-infection of a new P vivax strain.