A novel multiplex qPCR assay for detection of Plasmodium falciparum with histidine-rich protein 2 and 3 (pfhrp2 and pfhrp3) deletions in polyclonal infections

摘要

Many health facilities in malaria endemic countries are dependent on Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for diagnosis and some National Health Service (NHS) hospitals without expert microscopists rely on them for diagnosis out of hours. The emergence of lacking the gene encoding histidine-rich protein 2 and 3 (HRP2 and HRP3) and escaping RDT detection threatens progress in malaria control and elimination. Currently, confirmation of RDT negative due to the deletion of and , which encodes a cross-reactive protein isoform, requires a series of PCR assays. These tests have different limits of detection and many laboratories have reported difficulty in confirming the absence of the deletions with certainty.