Rapid detection of malaria infection in vivo by laser desorption mass spectrometry

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-1-2004

Journal

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Volume

71

Issue

5

DOI

10.4269/ajtmh.2004.71.546

Abstract

Rapid diagnosis leading to effective treatment is essential to control escalating infectious diseases such as malaria. Malaria pigment (hemozoin) detection by laser desorption mass spectometry (LDMS) was recently shown to be a sensitive (<10 parasites/μL) technique for detecting Plasmodium falciparum parasites cultured in human blood. To examine the use of LDMS in a rapid new malaria screening assay, we followed the time course of P. yoelii infections in mice in parallel with light microscopy and a colorimetric hemozoin assay. Hemozoin was detected by LDMS in 0.3 μL of blood within two days of infection independently of the inoculating dose of 106, 10 4, or 102 parasite-infected erythrocytes. Microscopy and colorimetric hemozoin determinations lagged the LDMS detection of infections by 2-4 and 3-5 days, respectively, except at the highest inoculation dose. The LDMS detection of hemozoin is a potentially more rapid screen than light microscopy for detecting malaria infection in this mouse model at parasitemias <0.1%.

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