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.
Anderson
T J
TJ
Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, TX, USA. tanderso@darwin.sfbr.org
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