Abstract

Background: The oncogenic potential of HPV remains a major global public health challenge and various natural therapeutics are being investigated to prevent cancer. The natural components of the Alchemilla vulgaris plant have various anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and anticancer effects. Objective: This study investigated the association between the genetic variants of the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) and susceptibility to P. vivax infection to elucidate the transmission pattern and explain the rising incidence of P. vivax infection in Sudan. Methods: A total of 405 participants were recruited for the study, including 202 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of P. vivax malaria and 203 blood donors serving as the control group. DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood, and DARC polymorphic variants were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP). Results: The study showed that the Duffy-negative homozygous genotype FYBES/FYBES was present in both P. vivax-infected patients and the control group; however, it was significantly more frequent in healthy blood donors. The frequencies of the two heterozygous genotypes (FYB/FYA) and FYB/FYBES were substantially higher among the patients with P. vivax malaria than in the control group. The two homozygous genotypes, FYA/FYA and FYB/FYB, were also more frequent among P. vivax malaria patients, while the heterozygous genotype FYA/FYB was more common in the control group; however, these differences were not statistically significant. The FYAES allele was not detected in either group.Conclusion: There was a potential association between FYA and FYB alleles and susceptibility to P. vivax infection. The FYBES allele confers partial resistance to P. vivax malaria, as some infected individuals were found to carry the homozygous Duffy-negative genotype (FYBES/FYBES).

Key words: Plasmodium vivax, Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines, Malaria.