title: Genetic diversity of Ascaris in southwestern Uganda.
abstract: Despite the common occurrence of ascariasis in southwestern Uganda, helminth control in the region has been limited. To gain further insights into the genetic diversity of Ascaris in this area, a parasitological survey in mothers (n=41) and children (n=74) living in two villages, Habutobere and Musezero, was carried out. Adult Ascaris worms were collected from infected individuals by chemo-expulsion using pyrantel pamoate treatment. Genetic diversity within these worms was assessed by inspection of DNA sequence variation in a mitochondrial marker and length polymorphism at microsatellite loci. Overall prevalence of ascariasis was 42.5% in mothers and 30.4% in their children and a total of 98 worms was examined from 18 hosts. Sequence analysis of a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene revealed 19 different haplotypes, 13 of which had not been previously encountered. Microsatellite analysis using eight loci provided evidence for high gene flow between worm populations from the two villages but comparing these worms with others obtained in a prior study on Unguja, Zanzibar, confirmed little genetic exchange and mixing of worm populations between the two areas. By adding to our understanding of the genetic diversity of Ascaris in Africa, this study provides useful information for monitoring changes in parasite population structure in the face of ongoing and future control.
authors.affiliation: Disease Control Strategy Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, UK. mbetson@liv.ac.uk
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Betson
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nejsum
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Llewellyn-Hughes
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atuhaire
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arinaitwe
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adriko
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruggiana
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Turyakira
authors.forename: Narcis B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Kabatereine
authors.forename: J Russell
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Stothard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001200:Ascaris / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009035:Mothers; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018509:DNA, Helminth; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; C496511:PTGS1 protein, human