Journal article
Assessing Microsatellite Variations in Plasmodium falciparum Following a Decade-Long Antimalaria Campaign in Kenya
Molecular ecology, v 34(7), e17713
Apr 2025
PMID: 40087832
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Anti-malaria interventions typically reduce the intensity of Plasmodium transmission, but the effects of reduced transmission on P. falciparum population biology remain unclear. Highly polymorphic microsatellite markers in P. falciparum were used to investigate genetic diversity, polyclonality and genetic structure among populations in areas of varying malaria transmission intensity across Kenya. We also assessed relationships between metrics derived from genetic data, transmission intensity estimates and bioclimatic variables. Despite an overall reduction in transmission intensity across Kenya from 2005 to 2014, we found that parasite populations maintained high genetic diversity and that genetic diversity correlated more closely with past transmission intensity estimates in the year 2000 as compared to contemporary estimates in 2014. In contrast, we found genetic structuring to be significant, consistent with our observation of shifting parasite migration patterns in western Kenya. Both genetic diversity and polyclonality increased with higher precipitation in the dry season, revealing the potential impacts of changing climate patterns on parasite population dynamics. Whereas fragmentation of P. falciparum populations increases opportunities for spatially targeted interventions in Kenya, the high genetic diversity of isolates in our study signals enhanced adaptability of parasites.
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Details
- Title
- Assessing Microsatellite Variations in Plasmodium falciparum Following a Decade-Long Antimalaria Campaign in Kenya
- Creators
- Elizabeth Hemming-Schroeder - Colorado State UniversityAlfred Hubbard - University of North Carolina at CharlotteFaith I Ebhodaghe - Colorado State UniversityTatiana Vorontsova - Colorado State UniversityDaibin Zhong - University of California, IrvineGuofa Zhou - University of California, IrvineEugenia Lo - Drexel UniversityHarrysone Atieli - Kenya Medical Research InstituteAndrew Githeko - Kenya Medical Research InstituteJames W Kazura - Case Western Reserve UniversityGuiyun Yan - University of California, Irvine
- Publication Details
- Molecular ecology, v 34(7), e17713
- Grant note
- R01AI050243 / The National Institutes of Health F32AI147460 / The National Institutes of Health F32 AI147460 / NIAID NIH HHS U19 AI129326 / NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI050243 / NIAID NIH HHS U19AI129326 / The National Institutes of Health D43 TW001505 / FIC NIH HHS D43TW001505 / The National Institutes of Health
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Microbiology and Immunology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001444697200001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105001078976
- Other Identifier
- 991022192515804721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology