title: Population genetic structure and cladistic analysis of Trypanosoma brucei isolates.
abstract: Using a novel multilocus DNA marker analysis method, we studied the population genetic structure of Trypansoma brucei stocks and derived clones isolated from animal and rhodesiense sleeping sickness patients during a national sleeping sickness control program in Mukono district, Uganda. We then performed a cladistic analysis to trace relationships and evolution, using stocks and clones recovered from geographically and temporally matched hosts, including inter-strain comparisons with T. b. gambiense stocks and clones. Our results show that while there was close genetic relatedness among parasite populations from the same geographical region, micro-heterogeneities exist between different stocks. Data are presented that indicate that not every human sleeping sickness focus may be associated with a particular human-infective trypanosome strain responsible for long-term stability of the reference focus. We provide evidence of genetic sub-structuring among type 1 T. b. gambiense stocks, which has potentially important implications for molecular epidemiology of T. brucei.
authors.affiliation: Division of Animal Sciences, Institute for Animal Science and Health, ID-Lelystad, Edelhertweg 15, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands. e.e.c.agbo@id.wag-ur.nl
authors.forename: Eddy Chukwura
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Agbo
authors.forename: Peter-Henning
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Clausen
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Büscher
authors.forename: Phelix A O
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Majiwa
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Claassen
authors.forename: Marinus F W
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: te Pas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000469:parasitology; D014454:Uganda