Genetic polymorphisms of merozoite surface protein-1 ICB 5–6 in Vietnamese Plasmodium vivax isolates

Plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein-1 (PvMSP-1) is one of the major polymorphic markers for molecular epidemiological purposes. In particular, the interspecies conserved block 5-6 (ICB 5-6) of PvMSP-1 is a region exhibiting extensive genetic polymorphism. In this study, we analyzed polymorphic characters of the pvmsp-1 ICB 5-6 region from P. vivax isolates collected in 4 provinces of Vietnam (Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, and Khanh Hoa) between 2018 and 2022. A comparative analysis of pvmsp-1 ICB 5-6 sequences was also conducted between Vietnam and other endemic regions. A total of 139 pvmsp-1 ICB 5-6 sequences were obtained from 117 Vietnamese P. vivax isolates. Vietnam pvmsp-1 ICB 5-6 were clustered into 34 distinct haplotypes at the amino acid level, with the recombinant types being predominant. The pvmsp-1 ICB 5-6 from the Central Highlands, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, and Gia Lai, exhibited high genetic polymorphism, while the sequences from the South-Central region, Khanh Hoa, were less polymorphic. Highly diverse patterns of poly-glutamine (poly-Q) variants were identified in Vietnam pvmsp-1 ICB 5-6. Comparable features of genetic polymorphism were also identified in the global pvmsp-1 ICB 5-6 populations. Phylogenetic analysis of global pvmsp-1 ICB 5-6 revealed no significant country- or region-specific clustering. This study suggests that Vietnam pvmsp-1 ICB 5-6 exhibited a substantial genetic diversity with regional variations, implying the genetic heterogeneity of the Vietnamese P. vivax population. These findings emphasize the importance of continuous molecular surveillance to understand the genetic nature of the parasite in the country.