High connectivity and low differentiation of Plasmodium falciparum parasite populations in a setting with high seasonal migration.

ABSTRACT: Seasonal movement of less-immune people from low- to high- transmission regions increase malaria risk and may introduce parasite strains to both areas. This study examined Plasmodium falciparum genetic diversity and connectivity between low-transmission highlands and endemic lowlands in Ethiopia to assess the contribution of seasonal agricultural migration in sustaining transmission. P. falciparum qPCR-positive dried blood spots collected from highland health facilities and lowland agricultural worksites were sequenced using multiplexed amplicon sequencing. Complexity of infection (COI) and infection pairwise relatedness were estimated and used for clustering analysis. Lowland populations (seasonal workers and residents) had higher COI and polyclonal infection rates (mean COI 2.62, 62%, n 

SUBMITTER: Esayas E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12749964 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature