The Molecular Basis of Erythrocyte Invasion by Plasmodium Vivax Into Duffy-Negative Erythrocytes in Mali

Plasmodium vivax was thought not to be a problem in Duffy blood group negative Africans. However, recent research has found that P. vivax infection occurs not only in areas where Duffy-positive and -negative people live side-by-side, but also in areas where populations are predominantly Duffy-negative, such as Bandiagara, Mali. In this region, our research group recently observed 25 P. vivax infections in children, all of whom were Duffy-negative. Furthermore, some preliminary data suggest that, despite having extremely low parasitemia and no malarial symptoms (no fever, muscle aches, or chills), the children of Bandiagara with P. vivax may have a drop in hemoglobin.

The present study involves two substudies to detect P. vivax infections in children and adults of two predominantly Duffy-negative Malian populations where P. vivax infections have previously been identified. The cohort study will be conducted in the Bandiagara region. We will conduct physical exams and collect blood, urine, and stool samples at baseline and monthly (urine samples will be collected only at baseline) for about 10 months. Our goal is to detect and characterize P. vivax infections, focusing on molecularly characterizing how P. vivax invades erythrocytes in Duffy-negative individuals. Specifically, we want to identify the parasite ligands involved in this invasion. We will use RNA sequencing (RNAseq) of P. vivax in blood samples of infected subjects to define the level of expression of parasite invasion ligands. From the parasite DNA found in blood samples, we will determine whether there is gene expansion of the parasite ligand Duffy binding protein (PvDBP) (the number of copies of PvDBP in each genome), and identify the sequence of PvDBP to determine whether it can bind an erythrocyte receptor other than the Duffy blood group antigen (i.e., Duffy-negative erythrocytes). An additional focus will be whether P. vivax leads to anemia in the Duffy-negative children.

In addition, we will conduct a cross-sectional study to investigate the prevalence of P. vivax in the general population in Yirimadio, a periurban setting of Bamako, which is the sole place in Mali besides Bandiagara where P. vivax infections have been reported in Duffy-negative individuals. This will be achieved by undertaking a cross-sectional survey. Subjects will provide blood for blood smear and filter paper analyses to identify the presence of P. vivax infection at 3 different time points.