Nucleic acid probes and methods for detecting plasmodium parasites
This invention relates to novel nucleic acid probes and methods for detecting Plasmodium parasites as well as detecting different Plasmodium parasites selectively from one another.
1. A composition suitable for detecting Plasmodium in a sample, said composition comprising one or more of: a probe consisting of PV1 [SEQ ID NO.: 7] or the full-length complementary sequence thereof, and a label; a probe consisting of PV2 [SEQ ID NO.: 8] or the full-length complementary sequence thereof, and a label; and a probe consisting of PF2 [SEQ ID NO.: 10] or the full-length complementary sequence thereof, and a label.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises the probe consisting of PV1 [SEQ ID NO.: 7] or the full-length complementary sequence thereof, and a label.
3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises the probe consisting of PV2 [SEQ ID NO.: 8] or the full-length complementary sequence thereof, and a label.
4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition comprises the probe consisting of PF2 [SEQ ID NO.:10] or the full-length complementary sequence thereof, and a label.
5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the Plasmodium to be detected is Plasmodium vivax and said composition comprises one or more probes selected from the group consisting of: a probe consisting of PV1 [SEQ ID NO.: 7] or the full-length complementary sequence thereof, and a label; and a probe consisting of PV2 [SEQ ID NO.: 8] or the full-length complementary sequence thereof, and a label.
6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the Plasmodium to be detected is Plasmodium falciparum and said composition comprises the probe consisting of PF2 [SEQ ID NO.:10] or the full-length complementary sequence thereof, and a label.