Accurate and Sensitive Detection of <i>Plasmodium</i> Species in Humans by Use of the Dihydrofolate Reductase-Thymidylate Synthase Linker Region

A nested-PCR protocol based on the linker region of the Plasmodium dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase gene (dhfr-ts) was developed. This provides highly sensitive specific detection and identification of the five parasite species that infect humans.