Higher Multiplicity of Malarial Infection in Low Transmission Areas of Bijnor District, Uttar Pradesh, India

The genetic make-up of malaria parasite is potent for understanding the parasite virulence, designing antimalarial vaccine and evaluating the impact of malaria control measures. There is a paucity of information on genetic structure of Plasmodium falciparum in BIJNOR District (U.P.), India, where malaria is rampant and this study aimed to establish molecular characterization of P. falciparum field isolates from Uttar-Pradesh measured with two highly polymorphic genetic markers, i.e. the merozoite surface proteins (MSPs) 1 and 2. The genetic diversity of P. falciparum populationfrom low transmission area Dhampur, Kasimpurgarhi and Bijnor and highly malarious area, Noorpur and Seohara areas of Utter-Pradesh, Bijnor District, were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction-sequencing analyzing msp-1 and msp-2 genes to explore the genetic structure of parasite from this understudied region. This is the first report on molecular characterization of P. falciparum field isolates from Utter-Pradesh. The genetic diversity and allelic distribution found in this study is somewhat similar to other reports from India and Southeast Asian countries. However, P. falciparum infection can be highly complex and diverse in these disease-endemic regions of Uttar-Pradaesh (Bijnor District) suggesting continual genetic mixing that could have significant implications for the use of antimalarial drugs and vaccines.