Apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1) gene sequences of re-emerging Plasmodium vivax in South Korea

Abstract

Plasmodium vivax malaria re-emerged in South Korea in 1993, and epidemicscontinue since then. We examined genetic variation in the region encompassing the apicalmembrane antigen-1 (PvAMA-1) of the parasites by DNA sequencing of the 22 re-emergingP. vivax isolates. The genotype of the PvAMA-1, which was based on sequence datapreviously reported for the polymorphic regions, showed that two haplotypes were presentat one polymorphic site. Compared with reported data, the two types, SKOR type I andtype II, were similar to Chinese CH-10A and CH-05A isolates, respectively. Thus, thepresent study showed that two genotypes of AMA-1 genes coexist in the re-emergingKorean P. vivax.