title: Molecular inference of sources and spreading patterns of Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites in internally displaced persons settlements in Myanmar-China border area.
abstract: In Myanmar, civil unrest and establishment of internally displaced persons (IDP) settlement along the Myanmar-China border have impacted malaria transmission. The growing IDP populations raise deep concerns about health impact on local communities. Microsatellite markers were used to examine the source and spreading patterns of Plasmodium falciparum between IDP settlement and surrounding villages in Myanmar along the China border. Genotypic structure of P. falciparum was compared over the past three years from the same area and the demographic history was inferred to determine the source of recent infections. In addition, we examined if border migration is a factor of P. falciparum infections in China by determining gene flow patterns across borders. Compared to local community, the IDP samples showed a reduced and consistently lower genetic diversity over the past three years. A strong signature of genetic bottleneck was detected in the IDP samples. P. falciparum infections from the border regions in China were genetically similar to Myanmar and parasite gene flow was not constrained by geographical distance. Reduced genetic diversity of P. falciparum suggested intense malaria control within the IDP settlement. Human movement was a key factor to the spread of malaria both locally in Myanmar and across the international border.
authors.affiliation: Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Guofa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Winny
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Oo
authors.affiliation: Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ming-Chieh
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baum
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Philip L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Felgner
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Zhaoqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Liwang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA. Electronic address: guiyuny@uci.edu.
authors.forename: Guiyun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009154:Mutation; D002052:Myanmar / Q000453:epidemiology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics*; D011157:Population Dynamics; D062486:Public Health Surveillance
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan
keywords: Border migration; Genetic bottleneck; Genetic diversity; Malaria transmission; Microsatellites; Plasmodium falciparum