The focal rise of P. vivax cases, while not uncommon, remains a significant challenge in India’s malaria elimination efforts. In 2015, a dramatic surge in P. vivax cases occurred in Primary Health Centre (PHC)- Punhana, Nuh district, Haryana, India. This focal rise was attributed to the development of an irrigation system near Hathangaon village leading to a higher malaria incidence, breeding habitats and vector densities. Using our previously validated minisatellite marker CH1T1M13779, we investigated the genetic diversity of 41 P. vivax infected samples and observed 10 alleles in two villages- Hathangaon and Raipuri, Nuh district, Haryana, India. Following are the key takeaways-a) The minisatellite marker CH1T1M13779 proved effective for genotyping; b) P. vivax preferential infection of children and adolescents making them a vulnerable age group. Despite limitations in sample size and geographic scope, this study underscores the value of using minisatellite markers for cost-effective, large-scale genotyping surveillance to help prevent future outbreaks.
Das et al. (Thu,) studied this question.