Molecular Characterization of Plasmodium Species to Strengthen Malaria Surveillance in Migrant Populations in Honduras.

As Honduras approaches malaria elimination, imported infections pose a growing challenge to disease surveillance and control. In this study, we analyzed 14 molecular markers-six from Plasmodium falciparum and eight from P. vivax-in samples from local and migrant subjects to assess their utility in differentiating local versus imported infections. All P. falciparum isolates carried the wild-type pfcrt haplotype associated with chloroquine susceptibility. However, polymorphisms in pfmdr1, pfama1, pfglurp, and pfs47 revealed distinct genotypes in migrant versus local samples, suggesting external origins. For P. vivax, three novel pvcsp VK210 haplotypes and the first detection of a VK247 variant in Honduras were identified in migrants. Additional novel haplotypes were found in pvmsp1, pvmsp3α, pvmsp3β, pvs47, and pvs48/45. Several of these markers-particularly pfmdr1, pfs47, pvs47, and pvs48/45-proved informative for inferring geographic origin. This study demonstrates the value of molecular surveillance in low-transmission settings, supporting public health efforts by identifying potentially imported cases.