title: Genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Baka Pygmies and their Bantu neighbours in the north of Gabon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There have been many reports on the population genetic structure of Plasmodium falciparum from different endemic regions especially sub-Saharan Africa. However, few studies have been performed on neglected populations, such as the Pygmy populations. In this study, the population genetic structure of P. falciparum was investigated in the Baka Pygmies of Gabon and compared to that observed in neighboring villages composed mostly of Bantu farmers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 342 blood samples were collected from 170 Baka Pygmies and 172 Bantus in the north of Gabon (Woleu Ntem Province). Plasmodium infections were characterized by sequencing a portion of the parasite cytochrome b gene. Population genetic structure of P. falciparum in the different villages was analysed using microsatellite markers and genes coding for antigenic proteins (MSP1, MSP2, GLURP, and EBA-175).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, prevalence of P. falciparum was around 57 % and no significant difference of prevalence was observed between Pygmies and Bantus. No significant differences of population genetic structure of P. falciparum was found between Pygmy and Bantu people except for one antigen-coding gene, glurp, for which genetic data suggested the existence of a potentially disruptive selection acting on this gene in the two types of populations. The genetic structure of P. falciparum followed a pattern of isolation by distance at the scale of the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence and genetic diversity of P. falciparum observed in Baka demonstrates a significant transmission of the parasite in this population, and some exchanges of parasites with Bantu neighbours. Despite that, some antigen-coding genes seem to have had a particular evolutionary trajectory in certain Pygmy populations due to specific local human and/or mosquito characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769, Franceville, Gabon. mvebertrand2000@yahoo.fr.|Ecole Doctorale Régionale d'Afrique Centrale en Infectiologie Tropicale, BP 876, Franceville, Gabon. mvebertrand2000@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mvé-Ondo
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769, Franceville, Gabon. dnkoghe@hotmail.com.|Ministry of Health, BP 50, Libreville, Gabon. dnkoghe@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Dieudonné
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nkoghe
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs, Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), UMR CNRS 5290/IRD 224, Université Montpellier, CHRU de Montpellier, 39 Avenue Charles Flahault, 34295, Montpellier, France. celine.arnathau@ird.fr.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arnathau
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769, Franceville, Gabon. rougeron.virginie@gmail.com.|Laboratoire Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs, Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), UMR CNRS 5290/IRD 224, Université Montpellier, CHRU de Montpellier, 39 Avenue Charles Flahault, 34295, Montpellier, France. rougeron.virginie@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rougeron
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, BP 50, Libreville, Gabon. ubisvigou@hotmail.fr.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bisvigou
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769, Franceville, Gabon. laurhy6@gmail.com.|Fac de Médecine, UMR-BIOMED, BP 8507, Libreville, Gabon. laurhy6@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lauriane Yacka
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Mouele
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769, Franceville, Gabon. larsonamedeo@yahoo.fr.|Département de Biologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Laboratoire d'Écologie et Biologie évolutive, Université Cheikh AntaDiop de Dakar, BP 5005, Dakar, Senegal. larsonamedeo@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Larson
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boundenga
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs, Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), UMR CNRS 5290/IRD 224, Université Montpellier, CHRU de Montpellier, 39 Avenue Charles Flahault, 34295, Montpellier, France. patrick.durand@ird.fr.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs, Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), UMR CNRS 5290/IRD 224, Université Montpellier, CHRU de Montpellier, 39 Avenue Charles Flahault, 34295, Montpellier, France. eric.elguero@ird.fr.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elguero
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, England, UK. simonelemmers@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lemmers
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769, Franceville, Gabon. delicatlurce@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lucrèce M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Délicat-Loembet
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769, Franceville, Gabon. nancydiamella@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Diamella-Moukodoum
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs, Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), UMR CNRS 5290/IRD 224, Université Montpellier, CHRU de Montpellier, 39 Avenue Charles Flahault, 34295, Montpellier, France. christophe.paupy@ird.fr.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paupy
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs, Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), UMR CNRS 5290/IRD 224, Université Montpellier, CHRU de Montpellier, 39 Avenue Charles Flahault, 34295, Montpellier, France. francois.renaud@ird.fr.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Renaud
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769, Franceville, Gabon. franck.prugnolle@ird.fr.|Laboratoire Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs, Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), UMR CNRS 5290/IRD 224, Université Montpellier, CHRU de Montpellier, 39 Avenue Charles Flahault, 34295, Montpellier, France. franck.prugnolle@ird.fr.
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Prugnolle
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769, Franceville, Gabon. bollomo@yahoo.fr.|Fac de Médecine, UMR-BIOMED, BP 8507, Libreville, Gabon. bollomo@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ollomo
mesh_terms: D001769:Blood / Q000469:parasitology; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D005006:Ethnicity; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015995:Prevalence; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D045303:Cytochromes b