Allelic dimorphism of the erythocyte binding antigen-175 (eba-175) gene of Plasmodium falciparum and severe malaria: significant association of the C-segment with fatal outcome in Ghanaian children

Journal article

Background
The erythrocyte binding antigen-175 (EBA-175) on Plasmodium falciparum merozoites mediates sialic acid dependent binding to glycophorin A on host erythrocytes and, therefore, plays a crucial role in cell invasion. Dimorphic allele segments have been found in its encoding gene with a 342 bp segment present in FCR-3 strains (F-segment) and a 423 bp segment in CAMP strains (C-segment). Possible associations of the dimorphism with severe malaria have been analysed in a case-control study in northern Ghana.

Methods
Blood samples of 289 children with severe malaria and 289 matched parasitaemic but asymptomatic controls were screened for eba- 175 F- and C-segments by nested polymerase chain reaction.

Results
In children with severe malaria, prevalences of F-, C- and mixed F-/C-segments were 70%, 19%, and 11%, respectively. The C-segment was found more frequently in severe malaria cases whereas mixed infections were more common in controls. Infection with strains harbouring the C-segment significantly increased the risk of fatal outcome.

Conclusion
The results show that the C-segment is associated with fatal outcome in children with severe malaria in northern Ghana, suggesting that it may contribute to the virulence of the parasite.

Authors: Cramer, JP; Mockenhaupt, FP; Möhl, I; Dittrich, S; Dietz, E

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: BioMed Central
• Journal: Malaria Journal
• Volume: 3
• Issue: 1
• Article number: 11
• Publication date: 2004-05-12
• Acceptance date: 2004-05-12
• DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-3-11
• EISSN: 1475-2875
• ISSN: 1475-2875
• Language: English