Malaria and Vector Research Group, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Pasteur Avenue, P.O. BOX 1316943551, Tehran, Iran.
Exp Parasitol. 2013 May;134(1):48-51. doi: 10.1016/j.exppara.2013.01.016. Epub 2013 Feb 4.
Malaria is a serious vector-borne infectious disease in Iran and Anopheles stephensi has long been suspected as a main malaria vector. However, opinions about its vectorial capacity in supporting Plasmodium species and strains are not clear. This study investigates the susceptibility of an Asian main malaria vector, An. stephensi, to Plasmodium vivax isolates, collected from tropical region of Iran. P. vivax gametocytes which used in ex vivo assay to An. stephensi infection were genotyped by using PCR-RFLP and sequencing. A 650-bp fragment was amplified from patients, followed by RFLP analysis using Alu I restriction enzyme determined the presence of P. vivax VK210 variants. Sequence analysis also showed 100% similarity with the previously reported VK210 sequences of haplotype B from Iran. This is the first study that reports An. stephensi mysorensis is susceptible to P. vivax VK210 haplotype, VK210B. This finding help in useful in better understanding the composition and interaction of Anopheles-Plasmodium and its implication in targeting the main malaria vector for control and elimination programs in Eastern Mediterranean region.
疟疾是伊朗一种严重的经媒介传播的传染病，长舌按蚊一直被怀疑是主要的疟疾媒介。然而，关于其在支持疟原虫物种和株方面的媒介能力的观点尚不清楚。本研究调查了来自伊朗热带地区的亚洲主要疟疾媒介长舌按蚊对间日疟原虫分离株的易感性。用于体外试验感染长舌按蚊的间日疟原虫配子体通过 PCR-RFLP 和测序进行基因分型。从患者中扩增出 650bp 片段，然后用 Alu I 限制性内切酶进行 RFLP 分析，确定是否存在间日疟原虫 VK210 变异体。序列分析还显示与伊朗先前报道的 B 单倍型 VK210 序列完全一致。这是第一份报告长舌按蚊 mysorensis 对间日疟原虫 VK210 单倍型 VK210B 易感的研究。这一发现有助于更好地了解按蚊-疟原虫的组成和相互作用，及其对东地中海地区控制和消除主要疟疾媒介的计划的影响。
