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Genetic Structure of Introduced Plasmodium vivax Malaria Isolates in Greece, 2015-2019.
Spiliopoulou, Ioanna; Pervanidou, Danai; Tegos, Nikolaos; Tseroni, Maria; Baka, Agoritsa; Vakali, Annita; Kefaloudi, Chrisovaladou-Niki; Papavasilopoulos, Vasilios; Mpimpa, Anastasia; Patsoula, Eleni.
Affiliation
  • Spiliopoulou I; European Programme for Public Health Microbiology (EUPHEM), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 16973 Stockholm, Sweden.
  • Pervanidou D; National Public Health Organization (NPHO), 15123 Athens, Greece.
  • Tegos N; National Public Health Organization (NPHO), 15123 Athens, Greece.
  • Tseroni M; National Malaria Reference Center, Laboratory for the Surveillance of Infectious Diseases, Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens, Greece.
  • Baka A; National Public Health Organization (NPHO), 15123 Athens, Greece.
  • Vakali A; Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 123 Papadiamantopoulou Str., Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece.
  • Kefaloudi CN; National Public Health Organization (NPHO), 15123 Athens, Greece.
  • Papavasilopoulos V; National Public Health Organization (NPHO), 15123 Athens, Greece.
  • Mpimpa A; National Public Health Organization (NPHO), 15123 Athens, Greece.
  • Patsoula E; National Malaria Reference Center, Laboratory for the Surveillance of Infectious Diseases, Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens, Greece.
Trop Med Infect Dis ; 9(5)2024 May 02.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38787035
ABSTRACT
Greece has been malaria-free since 1974, after an intense malaria control program. However, as Greece hosts migrant populations from P. vivax malaria-endemic countries, there is a risk of introducing the disease to specific vulnerable and receptive areas of the country. Knowledge of the genetic diversity of P. vivax populations is essential for understanding the dynamics of malaria disease transmission in a given region. We used nine highly polymorphic markers to genotype 124 P. vivax-infected archived DNA samples from human blood specimens referred to the NMRL from all over Greece throughout 2015-2019. The genotypic variability of the samples studied was noted, as they comprised several unique haplotypes, indicative of the importation of a large number of different P. vivax strains in the country. However, only a few events of local transmission were recorded. Genotyping revealed and confirmed the same clusters as those identified through epidemiological investigation. In only one introduction event was the index case found. No sustained/ongoing malaria transmissions in/between the studied regions or during consecutive years or additional foci of local transmission were observed. Genotyping is an important component in assisting malaria surveillance, as it provides information concerning the patterns of introduction and the effectiveness of implemented malaria control and elimination measures.
Key words

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Language: En Journal: Trop Med Infect Dis Year: 2024 Document type: Article Affiliation country:

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Language: En Journal: Trop Med Infect Dis Year: 2024 Document type: Article Affiliation country: