A health worker in a malaria endemic area finds a child with fever. Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) detects HRP2 antigen. This is specific for which Plasmodium species?

• A Plasmodium vivax
• B Plasmodium malariae
• C Plasmodium ovale
• D Plasmodium falciparum ✓

Explanation

Histidine-Rich Protein 2 (HRP2) is produced exclusively by Plasmodium falciparum trophozoites and gametocytes; RDTs detecting HRP2 are therefore specific for P. falciparum. Combination RDTs use pLDH (pan-malarial antigen) for detecting other species. A limitation is that HRP2 can persist in blood for 2–4 weeks after parasite clearance (false positives), and HRP2/3 gene deletions in some P. falciparum strains cause false-negative results.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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