Molecular Detection and Species Determination of Malaria Parasites, Venezuela

Emerg Infect Dis. 2019 Feb;25(2):355-357. doi: 10.3201/eid2502.181279.

Abstract

In southeastern Venezuela, malaria cases have increased since 2013. We found that 46% of 352 blood samples from symptomatic patients in 1 municipality tested positive for Plasmodium spp. In addition, the number of cases increased by 10 times in 4 years (2014-2017) and by 3 times in 1 year (2016-2017).

Keywords: Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium vivax; Venezuela; malaria; molecular detection; parasites; vector-borne infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • DNA, Protozoan
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Malaria / epidemiology*
  • Malaria / parasitology*
  • Male
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Molecular Typing
  • Plasmodium / classification*
  • Plasmodium / genetics*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Venezuela / epidemiology

Substances

  • DNA, Protozoan