Plasmodium falciparum HRP2/3 project Raw sequence reads. Plasmodium falciparum

Diagnostic tests based on detection of Histidine rich proteins (HRP) are widely used for malaria diagnosis, but parasites carrying HRP gene deletions can evade detection. We measured fitness costs of HRP2 and/or HRP3 deletions by deleting one or both genes from a Malawian parasite clone. The balance of selection for deletions resulting from diagnostic evasion, and against deletions due to fitness costs may determine why HRP deletions are increasing in some locations (Ethiopia/Eritrea) but not in others (Mekong region).