Advances in Molecular Diagnosis of Malaria

Dear Colleagues,

Despite efforts to control and eliminate malaria, the disease is still one of the most serious public health problems worldwide, with an estimated 241 million cases in 2020 in 85 endemic countries and 627,000 deaths. Malaria is the most frequent cause of fever among travelers returning from endemic areas. Malaria is a vector-borne disease caused by five species of Plasmodium in humans, P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi. One of the pillars of the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria is ensuring access to malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Although the thick blood smear is still considered to be the best reference test, the detection limit is 100 parasites/µL and is not adequate for detecting low parasitemias in malaria elimination areas. Rapid diagnostic tests are especially useful in remote areas. However, sensitivity is low at parasite densities below 100 parasites/µL. In addition, isolates with a deletion in the antigen most targeted for detection of P. falciparum, histidine-rich protein 2 (PFHRP2), have been widely reported, leading to false-negative results. In this scenario, new molecular diagnostic tools with greater sensitivity are essential, as most have a detection limit of 1 parasite/µL. Furthermore, molecular tools targeting conservative genes are useful for species differentiation, including zoonotic malaria infections. This Special Issue focuses on the molecular diagnosis of malaria, including well-known tests and new platforms for use in reference centers or remote areas, such as LAMP point-of-care technologies. Asymptomatic infections play an important role in control and elimination goals, as low-density parasitemias below the threshold of detection by microscopy or rapid diagnostic tests are transmissible to the Anopheles vector. In addition, asymptomatic carriers pose a risk to blood banks and transplant procedures. We intend for this Special Issue of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease to broadly address recent advances in molecular tools applied to the diagnosis of malaria, aiming to contribute to the control, surveillance, and elimination of this life-threatening disease.

Dr. Silvia Maria Fatima Di Santi
Dr. Martha Cecilia Suárez-Mutis
Guest Editors

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• malaria
• Plasmodium
• molecular diagnosis
• malaria elimination
• nucleic acid amplification test