Low prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum parasites lacking pfhrp2/3 genes among asymptomatic and symptomatic school-age children in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2/3 gene deletions are uncommon in the surveyed population, and do not result in diagnostic failure. The use of rigorous PCR methods to identify pfhrp2/3 gene deletions is encouraged in order to minimize the overestimation of their prevalence.