GENETIC DIVERSITY IN THE CIRCUMSPOROZOITE PROTEIN GENE OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM FROM MAJOR ENDEMIC REGIONS OF IRAN

Circumsporozoite protein (CSP) is one of the stage specific antigens, which is used for the development of vaccines and to investigate the genetic diversity in Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite. Polymerase chain reaction was used for typing of CSP genes on 67 positive falciparum malaria patients from Sistan and Baluchistan Province of Iran. Three fragments were detected for CSP gene. Twenty, 38 and 4 samples showed 700, 750 and 800 bp fragments, respectively. Sequences of some samples were aligned and compared with P.falciparum csp gene in gene bank. While the falciparum malaria endemic region of Iran is classified in low to moderate group but, extensive polymorphism was observed in the samples that could be taken into account in designing malaria vaccine.