title: Genetic consequences of mass human chemotherapy for Schistosoma mansoni: population structure pre- and post-praziquantel treatment in Tanzania.
abstract: Recent shifts in global health policy have led to the implementation of mass drug administration (MDA) for neglected tropical diseases. Here we show how population genetic analyses can provide vital insights into the impact of such MDA on endemic parasite populations. We show that even a single round of MDA produced a genetic bottleneck with reductions in a range of measures of genetic diversity of Schistosoma mansoni. Phylogenetic analyses and indices of population differentiation indicated that schistosomes collected in the same schools in different years were more dissimilar than those from different schools collected within either of the study's 2 years, in addition to distinguishing re-infection from non-clearance (that might indicate putatively resistant parasites) from within those children infected at both baseline and follow-up. Such unique results illustrate the importance of genetic monitoring and examination of long lived multi-cellular parasites such as these under novel or increased chemotherapeutic selective pressures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College, Faculty of Medicine, London, United Kingdom. a.norton@wellcome.ac.uk
authors.forename: Alice J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.forename: Charlotte M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gower
authors.forename: Poppy H L
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lamberton
authors.forename: Bonnie L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: Nicholas J S
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Lwambo
authors.forename: Lynsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fenwick
authors.forename: Joanne P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Webster
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012556:Schistosomicides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012556:Schistosomicides; D011223:Praziquantel