Contrasting genomic epidemiology between sympatric Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax populations.

ABSTRACT: The malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax differ in key biological processes and associated clinical effects, but consequences on population-level transmission dynamics are difficult to predict. This co-endemic malaria study from Guyana details important epidemiological contrasts between the species by coupling population genomics (1396 spatiotemporally matched parasite genomes, primarily from 2020-21) with sociodemographic analysis (nationwide patient census from 2019). We describe how P. falciparum forms large, interrelated subpopulations that sporadically expand but generally exhibit restrained dispersal, whereby spatial distance and patient travel statistics predict parasite identity-by-descent (IBD). Case bias towards working-age adults is also strongly pronounc

SUBMITTER: Schwabl P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11442626 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature