Population genomics of Plasmodium vivax in Panama to assess the risk of case importation on malaria elimination.

ABSTRACT: Malaria incidence in Panama has plateaued in recent years in spite of elimination efforts, with almost all cases caused by Plasmodium vivax. Notwithstanding, overall malaria prevalence remains low (fewer than 1 case per 1000 persons). We used selective whole genome amplification to sequence 59 P. vivax samples from Panama. The P. vivax samples were collected from two periods (2007-2009 and 2017-2019) to study the population structure and transmission dynamics of the parasite. Imported cases resulting from increased levels of human migration could threaten malaria elimination prospects, and four of the samples evaluated came from individuals with travel history. We explored patterns of recent common ancestry among the samples and observed that a highly genetically related lineage (termed CL

SUBMITTER: Buyon LE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7769613 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature