TY  - EJOU
AU  - Randriamiarinjatovo, R. Dina Ny Aina Liantsoa
AU  - Rabearivony, R. Anjara Nomena Ny Zo
AU  - Abou-Bacar, A. Ahmed
AU  - Randrianarivelojosia, R. Milijaona
TI  - Sympatric Occurrence of Plasmodium ovale curtisi and Plasmodium ovale wallikeri in Archived Samples in Saharevo in the Eastern Foothill Area of Madagascar
T2  - African Journal of Parasitology, Mycology and Entomology

PY  - 2026
VL  - 3
IS  - 2
SN  - 1987-1473

AB  - Introduction: Four Plasmodium species that infect humans coexist on the island of Madagascar. P. falciparum and P. vivax are predominant while P. malariae and P. ovale remain rare. Recently, two subspecies of P. ovale were discovered through molecular analysis: P. o curtisi and P. o. wallikeri. Thus, we undertook a study that aims to assess P. o. curtisi and P. o. wallikeri infection in archived blood samples using nested PCR. Methods: Whole blood samples collected from patients with suspected malaria in Saharevo (eastern foothill area) from 1996 to 2005 were analyzed. These samples were stored at −20 °C until use. Microscopy examination of these samples had already been performed previously. Results: Of the 557 examined samples, 438 malaria infections were confirmed using nested PCR [78.6%, 95%CI: 74.9–81.9%]. Among these malaria cases, twelve patients presented singularly with P. ovale [2.7%, 95%CI: 1.5–4.9%] including six P. o. curtisi, five P. o. wallikeri, and one co-infection of P. o. curtisi + P. o. wallikeri. Conclusion: This study provides the first molecular evidence of the sympatric occurrence of P. o. curtisi and P. o. wallikeri in Madagascar. Sequencing provided definitive genotyping, confirming the nested PCR findings. Therefore, further studies assessing the prevalence of the rare species such as P. ovale are needed to better understand the distribution of this species to guide malaria control strategies.
KW  - 
KW  - 
KW  - Nested-PCR
KW  - sympatric infection
KW  - Madagascar
DO  - 10.35995/ajpme03020012