Last Updated: 14/07/2025
Molecular diagnosis for the detection of asymptomatic Plasmodium infections in the North Coast of São Paulo
Objectives
*Original title in Portuguese: Diagnóstico molecular para detecção de infecções assintomáticas por Plasmodium no Litoral Norte de São Paulo
In addition to the proposal to carry out the diagnosis more accurately, this study aims to assess the prevalence in these municipalities of asymptomatic infections that may be responsible for outbreaks of the disease and for cases of transfusion malaria.
In Brazil, in 2015, there were 142,562 cases of malaria. P. vivax was responsible for 89.2% of the cases, followed by P. falciparum and infections associated with 10.8%. P. malariae is a species with rare notification, which does not represent the epidemiological reality, since it can be diagnosed as P. vivax. The Extra-Amazonian Region is not considered endemic for malaria, but it is susceptible to the occurrence of focal episodes that can lead to the reintroduction of the disease. In 2013, 691 cases were reported, 159 in São Paulo. In the same year, 88 autochthonous cases were detected, with greater occurrence in Espírito Santo with 37 cases, São Paulo with 16, Piauí with 14 and Rio de Janeiro with 10 notifications, according to data from the Ministry of Health. The autochthonous malaria in São Paulo is limited to two distinct geographical regions. Currently, the most important is the Serra do Mar region, an ecosystem with Atlantic Forest coverage, where the main vector, Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii, can be found in high density. Most of the autochthonous cases present an atypical, mild or asymptomatic clinical picture, having been classified as P. vivax and P. malariae. The seroepidemiological profile of the local population demonstrated evidence of exposure of these individuals to different variants of P. vivax or P. malariae. The importance of detecting cases and determining the species of Plasmodium circulating in autochthonous areas lies mainly in the fact that individuals with low parasitemia and asymptomatic individuals can serve as a source of infection for vectors in different regions of the state, allowing the installation of outbreaks. with consequent spread of the endemic. In addition, in recent years, transfusion cases have been reported whose donors, all asymptomatic, have moved to transmission areas in the state of São Paulo.
Feb 2017 — Dec 2017
Related Resources
