{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,18]],"date-time":"2026-03-18T03:06:19Z","timestamp":1773803179096,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"20","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,20]],"date-time":"2023-10-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1697760000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Due to the difficulty of obtaining blood samples, which is the invasive method that is currently used for the detection of Plasmodium spp., alternative diagnostic sampling methods that are effective and non-invasive are needed, particularly for long-term studies. Saliva and stool samples from malaria-infected individuals contain trace amounts of Plasmodium DNA and therefore could be used as alternatives. Malaria was screened using rapid diagnosis tests and confirmed via microscopy. Nested PCR tests targeting the Plasmodium falciparum-specific STEVOR gene were performed for blood, saliva and stool samples that were positive for malaria. Three hundred sixty-seven (367) children were enrolled and eighty (22.22%) were confirmed to be positive for malaria. Matched blood, saliva and stool samples were available for 35 children. By using blood smears as the gold standard for the diagnosis of malaria, our study indicates that Plasmodium DNA was more detectable in blood (100%) than in saliva (22.86%) and stools (14.29%). Applying qPCR to the STEVOR gene to detect Plasmodium falciparum DNA in saliva and stool samples cannot be considered as an alternative to the current malaria detection processes using blood specimens.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics13203271","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,20]],"date-time":"2023-10-20T11:53:56Z","timestamp":1697802836000},"page":"3271","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Detection of Plasmodium falciparum in Saliva and Stool Samples from Children Living in Franceville, a Highly Endemic Region of Gabon"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5124-8140","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rom\u00e9o Karl","family":"Imboumy-Limoukou","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit\u00e9 Evolution Epid\u00e9miologie et R\u00e9sistance Parasitaire (UNEEREP), Centre International de Recherches M\u00e9dicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville BP 769, Gabon"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7313-9589","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jean-Claude","family":"Biteghe-Bi-Essone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit\u00e9 Evolution Epid\u00e9miologie et R\u00e9sistance Parasitaire (UNEEREP), Centre International de Recherches M\u00e9dicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville BP 769, Gabon"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Judicael Boris","family":"Lendongo Wombo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit\u00e9 Evolution Epid\u00e9miologie et R\u00e9sistance Parasitaire (UNEEREP), Centre International de Recherches M\u00e9dicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville BP 769, Gabon"},{"name":"Laboratoire de Biologie Mol\u00e9culaire et Cellulaire (LABMC), Universit\u00e9 des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, Franceville BP 943, Gabon"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sonia Etenna","family":"Lekana-Douki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit\u00e9 des Maladies Virales Emergentes (UMVE), Centre International de Recherches M\u00e9dicales de Franceville, Franceville BP 769, Gabon"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Virginie","family":"Rougeron","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MIVEGEC, IRD, CNRS, University of Montpellier, 34900 Montpellier, France"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8731-0639","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Steede-Seinnat","family":"Ontoua","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit\u00e9 Evolution Epid\u00e9miologie et R\u00e9sistance Parasitaire (UNEEREP), Centre International de Recherches M\u00e9dicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville BP 769, Gabon"},{"name":"Ecole Doctoral R\u00e9gional en Infectiologie Tropical, Franceville BP 876, Gabon"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lydie Sandrine","family":"Oyegue-Liabagui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit\u00e9 Evolution Epid\u00e9miologie et R\u00e9sistance Parasitaire (UNEEREP), Centre International de Recherches M\u00e9dicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville BP 769, Gabon"},{"name":"Ecole Doctoral R\u00e9gional en Infectiologie Tropical, Franceville BP 876, Gabon"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Cherone Nancy","family":"Mbani Mpega Ntigui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit\u00e9 Evolution Epid\u00e9miologie et R\u00e9sistance Parasitaire (UNEEREP), Centre International de Recherches M\u00e9dicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville BP 769, Gabon"},{"name":"Ecole Doctoral R\u00e9gional en Infectiologie Tropical, Franceville BP 876, Gabon"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lady Charl\u00e8ne","family":"Kouna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit\u00e9 Evolution Epid\u00e9miologie et R\u00e9sistance Parasitaire (UNEEREP), Centre International de Recherches M\u00e9dicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville BP 769, Gabon"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9417-1358","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jean-Bernard","family":"Lekana-Douki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit\u00e9 Evolution Epid\u00e9miologie et R\u00e9sistance Parasitaire (UNEEREP), Centre International de Recherches M\u00e9dicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville BP 769, Gabon"},{"name":"D\u00e9partement de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Universit\u00e9 des Sciences de la Sant\u00e9, Libreville BP 4008, Gabon"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"WHO (2021). 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