Population structure and transmission dynamics of Plasmodium vivax in the Republic of Korea based on microsatellite DNA analysis.

BACKGROUND: In order to control malaria, it is important to understand the genetic structure of the parasites in each endemic area. Plasmodium vivax is widely distributed in the tropical to temperate regions of Asia and South America, but effective strategies for its elimination have yet to be desig...

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Main Authors: Moritoshi Iwagami, Megumi Fukumoto, Seung-Young Hwang, So-Hee Kim, Weon-Gyu Kho, Shigeyuki Kano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3317904?pdf=render
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author Moritoshi Iwagami
Megumi Fukumoto
Seung-Young Hwang
So-Hee Kim
Weon-Gyu Kho
Shigeyuki Kano
author_facet Moritoshi Iwagami
Megumi Fukumoto
Seung-Young Hwang
So-Hee Kim
Weon-Gyu Kho
Shigeyuki Kano
author_sort Moritoshi Iwagami
collection DOAJ
description BACKGROUND: In order to control malaria, it is important to understand the genetic structure of the parasites in each endemic area. Plasmodium vivax is widely distributed in the tropical to temperate regions of Asia and South America, but effective strategies for its elimination have yet to be designed. In South Korea, for example, indigenous vivax malaria was eliminated by the late 1970s, but re-emerged from 1993. We estimated the population structure and temporal dynamics of transmission of P. vivax in South Korea using microsatellite DNA markers. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed 255 South Korean P. vivax isolates collected from 1994 to 2008, based on 10 highly polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci of the P. vivax genome. Allelic data were obtained for the 87 isolates and their microsatellite haplotypes were determined based on a combination of allelic data of the loci. In total, 40 haplotypes were observed. There were two predominant haplotypes: H16 and H25. H16 was observed in 9 isolates (10%) from 1996 to 2005, and H25 in 27 (31%) from 1995 to 2003. These results suggested that the recombination rate of P. vivax in South Korea, a temperate country, was lower than in tropical areas where identical haplotypes were rarely seen in the following year. Next, we estimated the relationships among the 40 haplotypes by eBURST analysis. Two major groups were found: one composed of 36 isolates (41%) including H25; the other of 20 isolates (23%) including H16. Despite the low recombination rate, other new haplotypes that are genetically distinct from the 2 groups have also been observed since 1997 (H27). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggested a continual introduction of P. vivax from other population sources, probably North Korea. Molecular epidemiology using microsatellite DNA of the P. vivax population is effective for assessing the population structure and transmission dynamics of the parasites--information that can assist in the elimination of vivax malaria in endemic areas.
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spelling doaj.art-e4ff9c49ba024e7bbb68e7b1bf3254142022-12-22T03:16:01ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352012-01-0164e159210.1371/journal.pntd.0001592Population structure and transmission dynamics of Plasmodium vivax in the Republic of Korea based on microsatellite DNA analysis.Moritoshi IwagamiMegumi FukumotoSeung-Young HwangSo-Hee KimWeon-Gyu KhoShigeyuki KanoBACKGROUND: In order to control malaria, it is important to understand the genetic structure of the parasites in each endemic area. Plasmodium vivax is widely distributed in the tropical to temperate regions of Asia and South America, but effective strategies for its elimination have yet to be designed. In South Korea, for example, indigenous vivax malaria was eliminated by the late 1970s, but re-emerged from 1993. We estimated the population structure and temporal dynamics of transmission of P. vivax in South Korea using microsatellite DNA markers. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed 255 South Korean P. vivax isolates collected from 1994 to 2008, based on 10 highly polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci of the P. vivax genome. Allelic data were obtained for the 87 isolates and their microsatellite haplotypes were determined based on a combination of allelic data of the loci. In total, 40 haplotypes were observed. There were two predominant haplotypes: H16 and H25. H16 was observed in 9 isolates (10%) from 1996 to 2005, and H25 in 27 (31%) from 1995 to 2003. These results suggested that the recombination rate of P. vivax in South Korea, a temperate country, was lower than in tropical areas where identical haplotypes were rarely seen in the following year. Next, we estimated the relationships among the 40 haplotypes by eBURST analysis. Two major groups were found: one composed of 36 isolates (41%) including H25; the other of 20 isolates (23%) including H16. Despite the low recombination rate, other new haplotypes that are genetically distinct from the 2 groups have also been observed since 1997 (H27). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggested a continual introduction of P. vivax from other population sources, probably North Korea. Molecular epidemiology using microsatellite DNA of the P. vivax population is effective for assessing the population structure and transmission dynamics of the parasites--information that can assist in the elimination of vivax malaria in endemic areas.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3317904?pdf=render
spellingShingle Moritoshi Iwagami
Megumi Fukumoto
Seung-Young Hwang
So-Hee Kim
Weon-Gyu Kho
Shigeyuki Kano
Population structure and transmission dynamics of Plasmodium vivax in the Republic of Korea based on microsatellite DNA analysis.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title Population structure and transmission dynamics of Plasmodium vivax in the Republic of Korea based on microsatellite DNA analysis.
title_full Population structure and transmission dynamics of Plasmodium vivax in the Republic of Korea based on microsatellite DNA analysis.
title_fullStr Population structure and transmission dynamics of Plasmodium vivax in the Republic of Korea based on microsatellite DNA analysis.
title_full_unstemmed Population structure and transmission dynamics of Plasmodium vivax in the Republic of Korea based on microsatellite DNA analysis.
title_short Population structure and transmission dynamics of Plasmodium vivax in the Republic of Korea based on microsatellite DNA analysis.
title_sort population structure and transmission dynamics of plasmodium vivax in the republic of korea based on microsatellite dna analysis
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3317904?pdf=render
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