Patent ID: 7303883

Claim:
A method of detecting presence or absence of a Plasmodium malarial agent of humans in a biological sample in which the presence or absence of a Plasmodium malarial agent of humans is unknown, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a biological sample, wherein the presence or absence of a Plasmodium malarial agent of humans in the biological sample is unknown and wherein the biological sample is from a human or animal which can be infected with a Plasmodium malarial agent of humans, (b) contacting a nucleic acid probe or primer which hybridizes specifically to the Plasmodium berghei extrachromosomal genetic element with said biological sample or contacting the probe or primer with a nucleic acid extracted, purified or amplified from said biological sample, for a time and under conditions sufficient for specific hybridization to occur between the probe or primer and the nucleic acid or sample, wherein the probe or primer consists of nucleotides 1147 to 1740 of SEQ ID NO:1 or of 15 or more consecutive nucleotides thereof, or wherein the probe or primer consists of a nucleotide sequence complementary to nucleotides 1147 to 1740 of SEQ ID NO:1 or 15 or more consecutive nucleotides thereof; and (c) detecting said hybridization resulting from the contacting step (b), whereby a Plasmodium malarial agent of humans is detected in a biological sample when hybridization of the probe or primer to the sample or to a nucleic acid extracted, purified or amplified from said biological sample is detected and whereby absence of a Plasmodium malarial agent of humans is detected when hybridization is not detected.