In vitro cultivation of Plasmodium falciparum and assessment of genetic diversity from clinical samples in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria

Background Plasmodium falciparum malaria still ravages sub-Saharan Africa despite multiple concerted efforts to tackle the disease. The indigenous study of locally transmitted parasites is pivotal to unearthing research treatment options. This study aimed to initiate and establish the continuous culture of P. falciparum from clinical isolates while identifying the local MSP2 strains circulating within Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. Methods A Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) 1640-based medium enriched with essential supplements for the continuous cultivation of the parasites in clinical samples was prepared at optimized conditions. Two malaria-positive blood samples were collected for continuous culture while thirty additional positive blood samples were collected for the purpose of molecular characterization. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeted MSP2 alleles (3D7 and FC27) to identify the strains in circulation. Results A successful system of continuous culture was established as evidenced by increased parasitemia without contamination one week after the day of initiation. The genetic diversity of the parasite using merozoite surface protein-2 (MSP2) markers showed that the 3D7 and FC27 families of P. falciparum from the clinical isolates were prevalent in the study site. Conclusion We suggest that this procedure could be effectively adopted by other malaria laboratories in Africa facing similar challenges in culturing parasites from field samples. The knowledge of the parasite strains in circulation allows for indigenous research in the parasite's biology.