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Restricted genetic and antigenic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum under mesoendemic transmission in the Venezuelan Amazon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2002

A. TAMI
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK Present address: Swiss Tropical Institute, Socinstrasse 57, PO Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland.
H. GRUNDMANN
Affiliation:
Division of Microbiology, Queen's Medical Centre (University Hospital Nottingham), University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
C. SUTHERLAND
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
J. S. MCBRIDE
Affiliation:
Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
D. R. CAVANAGH
Affiliation:
Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK
E. CAMPOS
Affiliation:
Dirección de Endemias Rurales, Malariología y Saneamiento Ambiental, Las Delicias, Maracay, Venezuela
G. SNOUNOU
Affiliation:
Unité de Parasitologie Biomédicale, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
C. BARNABÉ
Affiliation:
Centre d’Etudes sur le Polymorphisme des Microorganismes, UMR CNRS/IRD 9926, IRD, Montpellier, France
M. TIBAYRENC
Affiliation:
Centre d’Etudes sur le Polymorphisme des Microorganismes, UMR CNRS/IRD 9926, IRD, Montpellier, France
D. C. WARHURST
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK

Abstract

The study of genetic diversity in malaria populations is expected to provide new insights for the deployment of control measures. Plasmodium falciparum diversity in Africa and Asia is thought to reflect endemicity. In comprehensive epidemiological surveys reported here the genetic and antigenic structure of P. falciparum in the Venezuelan Amazon were studied over a 2-year period. DNA polymorphisms in glutamate-rich protein (GLURP), merozoite-surface protein 1 (MSP1) and MSP2 genes, in a multicopy element (PfRRM), all showed low diversity, 1 predominant genotype, and virtually no multi-clonal infections. Moreover, linkage disequilibrium was seen between GLURP, MSP1 and MSP2. Specific antibody responses against MSP1 and MSP2 recombinant antigens reflected the low genetic diversity observed in the parasite population. This is unexpected in a mesoendemic area, and suggests that the low diversity here may not only relate to endemicity but to other influences such as a bottleneck effect. Linkage disequilibrium and a predominant genotype may imply that P. falciparum frequently propagates with an epidemic or clonal population structure in the Venezuelan Amazon.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2002 Cambridge University Press

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