ArticleBMC infectious diseases2021
Population structure and diversity of Plasmodium falciparum in children with asymptomatic malaria living in different ecological zones of Ghana.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Trends in insecticide resistance in Anopheles mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Ghana: a systematic review.Journal of medical entomology · 2025Pooled it
- Plasmodium falciparum genetic diversity and multiplicity of infection based on msp-1, msp-2, glurp and microsatellite genetic markers in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Malaria journal · 2024Pooled it
- Assessing the threat of artemisinin resistance: seasonal and ecological patterns ofFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Article
- Genetic Diversity and Allelic Distribution ofJournal of parasitology research · 2026Article
- Reduction in Asymptomatic falciparum malaria infection amongst schoolchildren in three ecological zones of Ghana between 2017 and 2023.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Malaria vector diversity, transmission and insecticide resistance in Island communities along the Volta lake in Southern Ghana.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Plasmodium falciparum genetic diversity and multiplicity of infection in northern and southern Ghana assessed by amplicon sequencing.Infection, genetics and evolution : journal of molecular epidemiology and evolutionary genetics in infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 2 genetic polymorphism and multiplicity of infection in selected malarious areas of Northwest Ethiopia.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Assessment of different genotyping markers and algorithms for distinguishing Plasmodium falciparum recrudescence from reinfection in Uganda.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infections and determinants of carriage in a seasonal malaria chemoprevention setting in Northern Cameroon and south Senegal (Kedougou).Malaria journal · 2024Article
- Effectiveness of artemether-lumefantrine for treating uncomplicated malaria in low- and high-transmission areas of Ghana.Malaria journal · 2024Article
- Molecular speciation of Plasmodium and multiplicity of P. falciparum infection in the Central region of Ghana.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Amplicon deep sequencing of five highly polymorphic markers of Plasmodium falciparum reveals high parasite genetic diversity and moderate population structure in Ethiopia.Malaria journal · 2023Article
- Potential Opportunities and Challenges of Deploying Next Generation Sequencing and CRISPR-Cas Systems to Support Diagnostics and Surveillance Towards Malaria Control and Elimination in Africa.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2022Review
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6 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundGenetic diversity in Plasmodium falciparum populations can be used to describe the resilience and spatial distribution of the parasite in the midst of intensified intervention efforts. This study used microsatellite analysis to evaluate the genetic diversity and population dynamics of P. falciparum parasites circulating in three ecological zones of Ghana.
methodsA total of 1168 afebrile children aged between 3 to 13 years were recruited from five (5) Primary schools in 3 different ecological zones (Sahel (Tamale and Kumbungu), Forest (Konongo) and Coastal (Ada and Dodowa)) of Ghana. Asymptomatic malaria parasite carriage was determined using microscopy and PCR, whilst fragment analysis of 6 microsatellite loci was used to determine the diversity and population structure of P. falciparum parasites.
resultsOut of the 1168 samples examined, 16.1 and 39.5% tested positive for P. falciparum by microscopy and nested PCR respectively. The genetic diversity of parasites in the 3 ecological zones was generally high, with an average heterozygosity (He) of 0.804, 0.787 and 0.608 the rainy (peak) season for the Sahel, Forest and Coastal zones respectively. The mean He for the dry (off-peak) season were 0.562, 0.693 and 0.610 for the Sahel, Forest and Coastal zones respectively. Parasites from the Forest zone were more closely related to those from the Sahel than from the Coastal zone, despite the Coastal zone being closer in physical distance to the Forest zone. The fixation indexes among study sites ranged from 0.049 to 0.112 during the rainy season and 0.112 to 0.348 during the dry season.
conclusionA large asymptomatic parasite reservoir was found in the school children during both rainy and dry seasons, especially those in the Forest and Sahel savannah zones where parasites were also found to be related compared to those from the Coastal zone. Further studies are recommended to understand why despite the roll out of several malaria interventions in Ghana, high transmission still persist.
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