Genetic structure and dynamics of Plasmodium falciparum infections in the Kilombero region of Tanzania.
Plasmodium falciparum parasites exist as genetically distinct haploid clones in infected people. In the Kilombero valley in south-east Tanzania, at least 85% of the inhabitants of Michenga village harbour more than one clone. Using 2 highly polymorphic unlinked markers, it has been estimated that each infected person harbours between one and 6 P. falciparum clones at any one time, with a mean of 3.5 clones. When mosquitoes acquire gametocytes of 2 different clones in a blood meal, crossing generates recombinant clones differing from their parental genotypes. The inbreeding coefficient of the parasite population has been estimated as 0.33.
Babiker
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HA
Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. h.babiker@ed.ac.uk
Ranford-Cartwright
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LC
Walliker
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D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000469:parasitology; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D002999:Clone Cells; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012098:Reproduction; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D005819:Genetic Markers; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C065974:merozoite surface protein 2, Plasmodium