Victor Kelbskopf
Vincenzo A Ellis
Arif Ciloglu
Melanie Duc
Xi Huang
Ricardo J. Lopes
Vanessa A Mata
Sargis A. Aghayan
Abdullah Inci
Sergei V. Drovetski
Olof Hellgren
2021
<h3 class="c-article__sub-heading" data-test="abstract-sub-heading">Background</h3><p>Although avian<span> </span><i>Plasmodium</i><span> </span>species are widespread and common across the globe, limited data exist on how genetically variable their populations are. Here, the hypothesis that the avian blood parasite<span> </span><i>Plasmodium relictum</i><span> </span>exhibits very low genetic diversity in its Western Palearctic transmission area (from Morocco to Sweden in the north and Transcaucasia in the east) was tested.</p><h3 class="c-article__sub-heading" data-test="abstract-sub-heading">Methods</h3><p>The genetic diversity of<span> </span><i>Plasmodium relictum</i><span> </span>was investigated by sequencing a portion (block 14) of the fast-evolving merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1) gene in 75 different<span> </span><i>P. relictum</i><span> </span>infections from 36 host species. Furthermore, the full-length MSP1 sequences representing the common block 14 allele was sequenced in order to investigate if additional variation could be found outside block 14.</p><h3 class="c-article__sub-heading" data-test="abstract-sub-heading">Results</h3><p>The majority (72 of 75) of the sequenced infections shared the same MSP1 allele. This common allele has previously been found to be the dominant allele transmitted in Europe.</p><h3 class="c-article__sub-heading" data-test="abstract-sub-heading">Conclusion</h3><p>The results corroborate earlier findings derived from a limited dataset that the globally transmitted malaria parasite<span> </span><i>P</i>.<span> </span><i>relictum</i><span> </span>exhibits very low genetic diversity in its Western Palearctic transmission area. This is likely the result of a recent introduction event or a selective sweep.</p>
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10.1186/s12936-021-03799-8
en
Springer Nature
Low MSP-1 haplotype diversity in the West Palearctic population of the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum
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