Microsatellite characterization of Plasmodium vivax in pregnant women on the Thai–Myanmar border

Abstract

Background Plasmodium vivax infections in pregnant women are associated with low birth weight and anemia. Genotyping of P.vivax is useful to study P. vivax in pregnancy, though it is still remains challenging to distinguish between relapse from hypnozoite stage and recrudescence from blood stage following treatment. A genetic investigation of P.vivax in pregnancy on the Thai-Burmese border, comparing the genotype between at follow up with the day of admission for pregnant patients and non pregnant patients was undertaken in this study.