Genomic Deletion of PfHRP2 and PfHRP3 in Plasmodium falciparum Strains, Ethiopia, 2009

Plasmodium falciparum strains lacking P. falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (PfHRP2) and PfHRP3 threaten malaria rapid test reliability. We show that pfhrp2/pfhrp3-deleted parasites circulated in Ethiopia as early as 2009, before widespread PfHRP2-based rapid test use, and had high pfhrp3 deletion prevalence. Monitoring of pfhrp2 and of pfhrp3 deletions is needed.