RESUMEN
Plasmodium vivax is responsible for approximately 80 million malaria cases in the world. Apical membrane antigen1 [AMA-1] is a type I integral membrane protein present in all Plasmodium species. AMA-1 interferes in critical steps of invasion of human hepatocytes by sporozoites and red blood cells by merozoites and is one of the most immunodominant antigens for eliciting a protective immune response in human. It is considered as a promising antigen for inclusion in a vaccine against P. vivax. Since more knowledge is needed to lighten the scope of such antigen we compared genetic variation in P. vivax AMA-1from an Iranian isolate with those reported from some of the other malarious countries so far. P. vivax genomic DNA was extracted from the whole blood of an Iranian patient with patent P. vivax infection. The nucleotide sequence for 446 amino acid [AA] residues [42-488 of PvAMA-1] was amplified by PCR and cloned in pUC19 vector for sequencing. Sequence analysis of the antigen showed a high degree of identity [99%] with strong homology to the PvAMA-1 gene of P. vivax S3 and SKO814 isolates from India and Korea [Asian isolates] respectively, and 96% similarity with P. vivax Sal-1 AMA-1 gene from El Salvador. We cloned and characterized three domains of PvAMA-1 gene from an Iranian patient. Predicted protein sequence of this gene showed some discrepancies in corresponding protein in comparing with similar genes reported from other malarious countries
RESUMEN
The determination of Toxoplasma gondii prevalence in a variety of domestic birds is thought as a good indicator of distribution of T.gondii ooccyts in the environment. To verify the potential role of domestic birds in circulating toxoplasmosis in Iran, the present study was conducted in Mazandaran Provinces, northern Iran. Latex agglutination test [LA] antibodies were found in 25 of 58 free-ranging chickens [Gallus domesticus] and ducks [Anas sp.]. Also, viable T. gondii was isolated from 7 of 25 seropositive chickens and ducks by bioassay of their brains and hearts into mice. Most of the isolated strains were avirulant to mice. Genotyping of T.gondii isolates using Multiplex PCR for 5 microsatellite markers indicated that 7 isolates were type III. In this study type II and III isolates and mixed genotypes were not found. This study showed that domestic birds could have a potential role in transmitting toxoplasmosis to humans in Iran