Phylogeography and molecular epidemiology of Yersinia pestis in Madagascar.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Plague was introduced to Madagascar in 1898 and continues to be a significant human health problem. It exists mainly in the central highlands, but in the 1990s was reintroduced to the port city of Mahajanga, where it caused extensive human outbreaks. Despite its prevalence, the phylogeography and molecular epidemiology of Y. pestis in Madagascar has been difficult to study due to the great genetic similarity among isolates. We examine island-wide geographic-genetic patterns based upon whole-genome discovery of SNPs, SNP genotyping and hypervariable variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) loci to gain insight into the maintenance and spread of Y. pestis in Madagascar.

Methodology/principal findings

We analyzed a set of 262 Malagasy isolates using a set of 56 SNPs and

SUBMITTER: Vogler AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3172189 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature