Detection of Asymptomatic Carriers of Plasmodium vivax among Treated Patients by Nested PCR Method in Minab, Rudan and Bashagard, Iran

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread species of Plasmodium in humans and causing about 80 million clinical cases annually. This study was undertaken to detect P. vivax in asymptomatic treated vivax malaria patients to trace latent/sub-patent malaria infection. METHOD: The venous blood of all detected cases with P. vivax in Bashagard, Minab and Roodan Districts in Hormozgan Province from 2009 to 2010 was examined by microscopic and nested PCR methods for presence of the parasite. RESULTS: In microscopic examination of peripheral blood smears, all samples were negative for the presence of the parasites. But, we detected two P. vivax related bands in the electrophoresis of the nested PCR products (120 bp). CONCLUSION: Following up the malaria cases after treatment by a combination of methods, or new diagnostics such as RDTs can be included in the priorities of malaria elimination program in Iran.