Molecular evidence of malaria and zoonotic diseases among rapid diagnostic test-negative febrile patients in low-transmission season, Mali

TY - JOUR

T1 - Molecular evidence of malaria and zoonotic diseases among rapid diagnostic test-negative febrile patients in low-transmission season, Mali

AU - Touré, Mahamoudou

AU - Petersen, Pelle T

AU - Bathily, Sidy N'd

AU - Sanogo, Daouda

AU - Wang, Christian W

AU - Schiøler, Karin L

AU - Konradsen, Flemming

AU - Doumbia, Seydou

AU - Alifrangis, Michael

N1 - © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - From November to December 2012 in Sélingué-Mali, blood samples from 88 febrile patients who tested negative by malaria Paracheck(r) rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) were used to assess the presence of sub-RDT Plasmodium falciparum as well as Borrelia, Coxiella burnetii, and Babesia applying molecular tools. Plasmodium sp. was present among 57 (60.2%) of the 88 malaria RDT-negative patients, whereas the prevalence of Borrelia, C. burnetii, and Babesia were 3.4% (N = 3), 1.1% (N = 1), and 0.0%, respectively. The additional diagnostic use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified a high proportion of Plasmodium sp.-positive samples and although this may be a concern for malaria control, the respective PCR-identified malaria infections were less likely responsible for the observed fevers given the low parasite density. Also, the low infection levels of Borrelia and C. burnetii and lack of Babesia among the febrile patients call for further studies to assess the causes of fever among malaria RDT-negative patients in Sélingué.

AB - From November to December 2012 in Sélingué-Mali, blood samples from 88 febrile patients who tested negative by malaria Paracheck(r) rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) were used to assess the presence of sub-RDT Plasmodium falciparum as well as Borrelia, Coxiella burnetii, and Babesia applying molecular tools. Plasmodium sp. was present among 57 (60.2%) of the 88 malaria RDT-negative patients, whereas the prevalence of Borrelia, C. burnetii, and Babesia were 3.4% (N = 3), 1.1% (N = 1), and 0.0%, respectively. The additional diagnostic use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified a high proportion of Plasmodium sp.-positive samples and although this may be a concern for malaria control, the respective PCR-identified malaria infections were less likely responsible for the observed fevers given the low parasite density. Also, the low infection levels of Borrelia and C. burnetii and lack of Babesia among the febrile patients call for further studies to assess the causes of fever among malaria RDT-negative patients in Sélingué.

U2 - 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0700

DO - 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0700

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27821696

SN - 0002-9637

VL - 96

SP - 335

EP - 337

JO - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

JF - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

IS - 2

ER -