THE USE OF MULTIPLEX PCR IN SPECIES IDENTIFICATION OF HUMAN MALARIA IN JAZAN AREA, SAUDI ARABIA

OMIMA M. EIDA¹*, AMANY M. EIDA², MOHAMMED M. EIDA^3
1Departments of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
²Departments of Parasitology, Jazan University, KSA
³Departments of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
* Corresponding Author : o_eida@yahoo.com

Received : 13-12-2015     Accepted : 17-01-2016     Published : 30-01-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 1       Pages : 168 - 172
Int J Parasitol Res 8.1 (2016):168-172

Keywords : P. falciparum, P. vivax, Differential diagnosis, 18S rRNA, Multiplex PCR
Academic Editor : Catherine A. Gordon, E. Sherrard-smith
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : None declared
Author Contribution : None declared

In Saudi Arabia, malaria is one of the major health concerns. P. falciparum and P. vivax is prevalent species in Jazan. Appropriate diagnosis and species identification is a very significant factor for convenient treatment of malaria. In general, microscopy is the standard method for diagnosis of malaria. However, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays display many possible benefits over microscopy as species identification of malaria especially in an era with few skilled microscopists. This study was conducted to compare microscopy and the multiplex PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene for detection Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum. A total 102 clinical blood specimens from suspicious malaria cases were gathered. Specimens were examined for the presence of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax by microscopy and multiplex PCR as well. The performance of multiplex PCR, OptiMAL test and microscopy was compared. The results revealed that 31.4%, 36.3% and 34.3% were positive by Microscopy, OptiMAL test and Multiplex PCR respectively. Multiplex PCR assay discovered two cases of P. falciparum / P. vivax mixed infections that cannot be detected by microscopic examination and OptiMAL test as mixed infections. Compared with microscopy, the sensitivity, specificity and test accuracy of OptiMAL test for detection of P. falciparum was 100%, 90.5% and 93.14% and multiplex PCR assay was 100%, 97.3% and 98.04% respectively. The sensitivity of OptiMAL test and multiplex PCR assay for detection of P. vivax was 50% and 75% respectively, while specificity of each method was 100%. Test accuracy of OptiMAL test and multiplex PCR assay was 98% and 99% respectively. In conclusions: our data showed that multiplex PCR is a sensitive, specific, and fast instrument so it can provide a beneficial differential diagnostic instrument for detecting P. vivax and P. falciparum.