Yonsei Med J. 2004 Feb;45(1):129-134. English.
Published online Feb 28, 2004.
Copyright © 2004 The Yonsei University College of Medicine
Original Article

Efficacy of the Merozoite Surface Protein 1 of Plasmodium Vivax as an Antigen for ELISA to Diagnose Malaria

Yong Man Kim,1 Hyun Ah Hwang,1 Woo Sang Yun,2 Suk Il Kim,2 Kil Whoan Lee,3 Seung Kyu Park,3 Young Jin Lee,4 Tae Kyun Kim,5 Chansuda Wongsrichanalai,6 Judy A Sakanari,7 and Hyun Park1
    • 1Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea.
    • 2Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Kwangju, Korea.
    • 3Biotech Research Institute, Human Bio, Iksan, Korea.
    • 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea.
    • 5Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea.
    • 6AFRIMS, Bangkok, Thailand.
    • 7Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California 94928, USA.
Received November 25, 2003; Accepted December 26, 2003.

Abstract

Malaria is still a major health problem in Thailand and its incidence is currently rising in Korea. To identify a useful antigen for the diagnosis of malaria patients, a cDNA expression library from malaria parasites was constructed and screened out immunologically. One clone was selected in view of its predominant reactivity with the patient sera. The recombinant malaria parasite antigen (Pv30) with 27 kDa as a C-terminal His-tag fusion protein that was produced in Escherichia coli was identified through immunoblot analysis. The deduced amino acid sequence had the sequence homology with the merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1) genes of Plasmodium falciparum and P. yoelii, each by 41% and 42%, respectively. Measurement of serum IgG and IgM antibody to Pv30 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was evaluated as a serodiagnostic test for malaria patients in Thailand (endemic area) and Korea (recently reemerging area). The sensitivity of P. vivax, P. falciparum, and P. malariae was 96.3% (26 /27), 90.6% (29/32), and 100% (6/6), respectively, and the specificity was 63.5% (40/63) in Thailand samples. The sensitivity of P. vivax was 98.8% (88/89), and the specificity was 96.6% (86/89) in Korean samples. Pv30 appears to be a good and reliable recombinant antigen for serodiagonosis of malaria in a nonendemic area.

Keywords
Plasmodium vivax; merozoite surface protein 1; ELISA; serodiagnostic test; sensitivity; specificity


Metrics
Share
PERMALINK