Sensitivity and specificity of nested polymerase chain reaction in detecting Plasmodium vivax in infected mosquitoes

Objective: To study the sensitivity and specificity of nested polymerase chain reaction for detection of Plasmodium vivax in infected mosquitoes.

Methods: Two pairs of primers specific to small subunit ribosomal DNA of P. vivax were used to amplify the specific SSUrDNA 121 bp fragment of P. vivax for detecting P. vivax-infected mosquitoes with nested PCR.

Results: Nested PCR could detect as few as 3 sporozoites in one mosquito or 1 infected mosquito mixed with a group of 99 normal ones. In contrast, no such specific 121 bp DNA band was detected in P. falciparum, P. cynomolgi, P. yoelii yoelii infected samples, nor in normal mosquito.

Conclusions: The nested PCR technique we established showed high sensitivity and specificity.