Parasitology

Biography

Biography: Syeda Azra Qamar

Abstract

Vector-borne diseases are widespread throughout the world. Malaria is still one of the chief vectors-borne diseases and fear for millions of people due to deprived health conditions throughout the world. The comparative investigation of different species of Plasmodium was conducted in different areas of Karachi, Pakistan, based on finding and identification of Plasmodium species in blood smears and finding of species specific parasite DNA in a blood samples using a PCR method for the comparison. The determination and comparison of high frequency of Plasmodium species was made by microscopic examination and circum sporozoite gene extracted from the blood samples which were collected from 250 patients between the age of 5-60 males (148) and females (102) with high temperature and severe headache complains, residing in Karachi, Pakistan during one year. The blood was directly taken by pricking finger onto a slide. Microscopic test (oil immersion objective at 1000 x magnification) was performed with Giemsa stained thick and thin blood smears whereas PCR was performed on dried blood removed from the slides and filter papers used for species specific parasite deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Out of 250 Giemsa stained slides 63 were positive for malaria parasites in which 39 and 17 were identified as a P. vivax and P. falciparum infections respectively; whereas 07 were having mixed infections of P. vivax and P. falciparum examined by microscopy and P. vivax (34), P. falciparum (18) and 11 mixed infections through the PCR. The recent investigation revealed that, the nested PCR is more effective and helpful; it can be successfully applied for the finding of P. vivax and P. falciparum particularly in highly infected areas.