Genomics reveals heterogeneous Plasmodium falciparum transmission and population differentiation in Zambia and bordering countries.

ABSTRACT: Genomic surveillance plays a critical role in monitoring malaria transmission and understanding how the parasite adapts in response to interventions. We conducted genomic surveillance of malaria by sequencing 241 Plasmodium falciparum genomes from regions with varying levels of malaria transmission across Zambia. We found genomic evidence of high levels of within-host polygenomic infections, regardless of epidemiological characteristics, underscoring the extensive and ongoing endemic malaria transmission in the country. We identified country-level clustering of parasites from Zambia and neighboring countries, and distinct clustering of parasites from West Africa. Within Zambia, our identity by descent (IBD) relatedness analysis uncovered spatial clustering of closely related parasit

SUBMITTER: Fola AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10871455 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature