An 8-year survey on the occurrence of imported malaria in a nonendemic area by microscopy and molecular assays

Abstract Our study aimed to describe the occurrence of imported malaria in a nonendemic area (Parma, Italy) during the period 2000 to 2007, comparing the data obtained by microscopy and molecular assays targeting plasmodial 18S subunit rRNA gene. The prevalence of imported malaria in Parma was 21.8%...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease 2008-08, Vol.61 (4), p.434-439
Main Authors: Calderaro, Adriana, Gorrini, Chiara, Peruzzi, Simona, Piccolo, Giovanna, Dettori, Giuseppe, Chezzi, Carlo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Blood - parasitology
Epidemiology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human protozoal diseases
Imported malaria
Infectious Disease
Infectious diseases
Internal Medicine
Italy
Italy - epidemiology
Malaria
Malaria - diagnosis
Malaria - epidemiology
Medical sciences
Microbiology
Microscopy
Parasitic diseases
Parasitology - methods
Parma
PCR
Plasmodia
Plasmodium - classification
Plasmodium - isolation & purification
Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium malariae
Plasmodium ovale
Plasmodium vivax
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Prevalence
Protozoal diseases
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S - genetics
Sensitivity and Specificity
Travel
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Summary:Abstract Our study aimed to describe the occurrence of imported malaria in a nonendemic area (Parma, Italy) during the period 2000 to 2007, comparing the data obtained by microscopy and molecular assays targeting plasmodial 18S subunit rRNA gene. The prevalence of imported malaria in Parma was 21.8% by microscopy and 22.7% by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Plasmodium falciparum accounted for 81.1% of the cases, followed by Plasmodium ovale (8.8%), Plasmodium vivax (3.8%), and Plasmodium malariae (1.9%). Mixed infections accounted for 4.4% of the cases. In this study, PCRs proved to be more sensitive and specific than microscopy and changed the picture of malaria epidemiology in Parma, detecting additional cases of malaria undiagnosed by microscopy and allowing speciation of plasmodia in cases misidentified by microscopy. Generally, imported malaria cases reflect the number of immigrants who visit their native countries, in particular, West Africa, explaining the increased prevalence of P. ovale cases among non- P. falciparum infections in Parma.
ISSN:0732-8893
1879-0070
DOI:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2008.03.016