The dangers of using single locus markers in parasite epidemiology: Ascaris as a case study.
Molecular markers are used widely to discriminate between closely related species of parasites, and in many cases a single locus is used for this purpose. This article aims to show how molecular data derived from a single genetic marker or linkage group - in this case mitochondrial DNA - can lead to ambiguous conclusions and to illustrate how a multilocus approach has enhanced our understanding of the epidemiology of two closely related parasites, the nematodes Ascaris suum, which infects pigs, and Ascaris lumbicoides, which infects humans.
Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, TX, USA. tanderso@darwin.sfbr.org
T J
TJ
Anderson
D000818:Animals; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D017164:Ascaris lumbricoides / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D017165:Ascaris suum / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D005819:Genetic Markers