Diversity of Plasmodium falciparum Circumsporozoite Protein
Using the 4CAST amplicon sequencing assay, we targeted four genes- csp (circumsporozoite protein), ama1 (apical membrane antigen 1), sera2 (serine repeat antigen 2), and trap (thrombospondin-related anonymous protein). This study provides a baseline of P. falciparum haplotype diversity in a vaccine-targeted region, Kaele, Cameroon, 2022-2023. The presence of vaccine-matched strains and high diversity in TH2/TH3 epitopes in csp may influence vaccine efficacy.