Low Genetic Diversity of Plasmodium vivax Circumsporozoite Surface Protein in Clinical Isolates from Southern Thailand

Abstract

The genetic diversity within the circumsporozoite surface protein (PvCSP) of Plasmodium vivax, the predominant malaria species in Thailand, is primarily observed in the northwestern region along the Thailand–Myanmar border. However, as P. vivax cases shift to southern provinces, particularly Yala Province near the Thailand–Malaysia border, PvCSP diversity remains understudied. Between 2018 and 2020, 89 P. vivax isolates were collected in Yala Province, a significant malaria hotspot. Employing polymerase chain reaction amplification, restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and DNA sequencing, the gene encoding PvCSP (Pvcsp) was analyzed. All Yala P. vivax isolates belonged to the VK210 type, distinct from strains in the western region near the Myanmar border. The central repeat region of Pvcsp revealed two common peptide repeat motifs—GDRADGQPA and GDRAAGQPA—across all southern isolates. Sequence analysis identified two subtypes, with S1 more prevalent (92%) than S2 (8%). This study underscores the limited diversity of VK210 variants of P. vivax populations in southern Thailand. These baseline findings facilitate monitoring for potential new parasite variants, aiding in the future control and management of P. vivax in the region.