The effect of anticoagulants in blood collection tubes on Plasmodium falciparum transmission in direct membrane feeding assays. (28th June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Graumans, Wouter; Lanke, Kjerstin; van Gemert, Geert-Jan; Alkema, Manon; van de Vegte-Bolmer, Marga; Bousema, Teun; Collins, Katharine A
• Is Part Of: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Volume 116:Number 2(2022)
• Page Start: 187
• Page End: 189
• Publication Date: 2021-06-28
• Subjects: anticoagulant -- DMFA -- gametocyte -- heparin -- malaria -- transmission; Tropical medicine -- Periodicals; 616.9883
• DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trab095
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0035-9203

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Direct membrane feeding assays assess the transmission potential of malaria-infected individuals using whole blood collected in anticoagulant vacutainers. Methods: The potential inhibitory effect of four commonly used anticoagulants on gametocyte infectivity to mosquitoes was assessed in standard membrane feeding assays with cultured Plasmodium falciparum . Results: Infection burden in mosquitoes was significantly reduced when blood was collected in sodium citrate and EDTA. Transmission was highest when blood was collected in lithium heparin and sodium heparin, although a concentration-dependent inhibition of mosquito infection was also observed. Conclusions: Although anticoagulants can reduce transmission efficiency, lithium heparin and sodium heparin are the best anticoagulants for evaluating malaria transmission.