Genetic structure of Schistosoma mansoni in western Kenya: The effects of geography and host sharing

ABSTRACT: We examined the spatial structure of Schistosoma mansoni, a parasite of humans, from natural infections at two levels: across the Lake Victoria basin of Kenya and among snail hosts. Using 20 microsatellite markers we examined geographic patterns of relatedness and population structure of cercariae and found weak, but significant structure detected by some, but not all analyses. We hypothesise structure created by aggregations of clonal individuals or adherence of hosts to local transmission sites is eroded by high amounts of gene flow in the region. This finding also supports previous hypotheses concerning the evolution of drug resistance in the region. Intrasnail dynamics were investigated in the context of aggregation and kin selection theory to determine how relatedness and also sex inf

SUBMITTER: Steinauer ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2892309 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature