Population genomics of the filarial nematode parasite Wuchereria bancrofti from mosquitoes.

ABSTRACT: Wuchereria bancrofti is a parasitic nematode and the primary cause of lymphatic filariasis--a disease specific to humans. W. bancrofti currently infects over 90 million people throughout the tropics and has been acknowledged by the world health organization as a vulnerable parasite. Current research has focused primarily on the clinical manifestations of disease and little is known about the evolutionary history of W. bancrofti. To improve upon knowledge of the evolutionary history of W. bancrofti, we whole genome sequenced 13 W. bancrofti larvae. We circumvent many of the difficulties of multiple infections by sampling larvae directly from mosquitoes that were experimentally inoculated with infected blood. To begin, we used whole genome data to reconstruct the historical population size.

SUBMITTER: Small ST 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4808423 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature