Malaria parasite may have evolved to go undetected by rapid tests, study says

— in the case of malaria, pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 — on the surface of a pathogen, such that they react with the test antibodies and produce a strongly colored molecule that indicates the patient’s picture.

Given that many countries rely on this type of diagnosis for malaria, the international team with members from Ethiopia and the United States carried out a survey of 12,500 people who presented symptoms of the infection. Two tests were applied: one with pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 antibodies; and another that recognized a different protein.

A total of 2,714 people were diagnosed with the disease with at least one of the tests, and of these , 350 were negative through the rapid test with pfhrp2 and pfhrp3, suggesting that these individuals were infected with damaged versions of the genes that encode such proteins.

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The researchers found, when analyzing the DNA, that such genes had disappeared, that is, the parasites evolved to the point of remove the key feature for its diagnosis, but according to the study, it is unlikely due to the rapid examinations.

Scientists point out that the changes are not specific to the genes encoding pfhrp2 and pfhrp3, as they are expressive enough to remove other genes that seem important for the pathogen’s survival, which led specialists to question whether the protozoan underwent evolution or involution. In one of the cases of loss of these coders, the parasite would be abstained from the ability to enter the red blood cells; in another, new mutations and recombination of chromosomes would be observed — this seems to have been the case for pfhrp3 removal.

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The changes with the removal of pfhrp2, compared to strains that still have the protein, indicate that a common ancestor of the evolved parasite appeared a short time ago.

In any case, scientists warn of the possible loss of the ability to enter blood cells mentioned, as this could suppress the common symptoms of the disease and prevent patients from seeking diagnosis.

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