Genetic structure and dynamics of Plasmodium falciparum infections in the Kilombero region of Tanzania
Babiker, H.A.; Ranford-Cartwright, L.C.; Walliker, D.
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 93(Suppl): 11-14
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0035-9203 PMID: 10450420 Document Number: 501924
Plasmodium falciparum parasites exist as genetically distinct haploid clones in infected people. In the Kilombero valley in south-east Tanzania, at least 85% of the inhabitants of Michenga village harbour more than one clone. Using 2 highly polymorphic unlinked markers, it was estimated that each infected person harbours between one and 6 P. falciparum clones at any one time, with a mean of 3.5 clones. When mosquitoes acquire gametocytes of 2 different clones in a blood meal, crossing generates recombinant clones differing from their parental genotypes. The inbreeding coefficient of the parasite population has been estimated as 0.33.