Detection of an antibody against <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>in residents of Gimpo-si, South Korea, using an indirect fluorescent antibody test

• Main Authors: Sattabongkot Jetsumon, Kim Jung-Yeon, In Tae-Sook, Cho Shin-Hyeong, Kim Nam-Ryul, Hwang Soon-Mi, Park Mi-Young, Kim Hyung-Hwan, Lee Won-Ja, Sohn Youngjoo, Kim Hyuck, Lee Jong-Koo, Lee Hyeong-Woo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2011-01-01
• Series: Malaria Journal
• Online Access: http://www.malariajournal.com/content/10/1/19

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>First reemerged malaria case was reported in 1993 after two decades absent in South Korea. Thereafter, <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>spreads out near demilitarized zone (DMZ). This study investigated the prevalence of <it>P. vivax </it>after the malaria transmission season in Gimpo-si where adjacent to DMZ of South Korea. An indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was performed to evaluate anti-malaria antibodies in blood samples.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Microscopic examinations were performed to identify the presence of malaria parasites. Antibodies against <it>P. vivax </it>were detected using IFAT, and blood samples from antibody-positive cases were tested using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that detects malaria parasites.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 5,797 blood samples were collected from residents in Gimpo-si. The positivity rate by IFAT was 2.16% (n = 125). Yangchon-myeon (3.28%) had the highest positivity rate of the seven administrative districts tested. Positivity rates increased with age (<it>P </it>< 0.05). Sixteen of the IFAT positive samples (12.80%, n = 125) were positive for malaria DNA according to PCR. Blood samples with an antibody titer over 1:256 had high positivity rates in the PCR analysis (<it>P </it>< 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results indicate that antibody titers obtained using IFAT may provide useful information about the prevalence of <it>P. vivax </it>in low endemic areas and could be used to detect asymptomatic patients. Finding asymptomatic patients is important in eliminating vivax malaria in South Korea.</p>