Genetic characterization of an epidemic of Plasmodium falciparum malaria among Yanomami Amerindians.
Malaria parasites are genetically diverse at all levels of endemicity. In contrast, the merozoite surface protein (MSP) alleles in samples from 2 isolated populations of Yanomami Amerindians during an epidemic of Plasmodium falciparum were identical. The nonvariable restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns further suggested that the sequential outbreak comprised only a single P. falciparum genotype. By examination of serial samples from single human infections, the MSP characteristics were found to remain constant throughout the course of infection. An apparent clonal population structure of parasites seemed to cause outbreaks in small isolated villages. The use of standard molecular epidemiologic methods to measure genetic diversity in malaria revealed the occurrence of a genetically monomorphic population of P. falciparum within a human community.
Laserson
K F
KF
Department of Tropical Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. ksnowden@cvm.tamu.edu
Petralanda
I
I
Almera
R
R
Barker
R H
RH
Spielman
A
A
Maguire
J H
JH
Wirth
D F
DF
D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D020066:Merozoite Surface Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012424:Rural Population; D014687:Venezuela / Q000453:epidemiology
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D020066:Merozoite Surface Protein 1; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C065974:merozoite surface protein 2, Plasmodium