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Aranda-Díaz A, Vickers EN, Murie K, Palmer B, Hathaway N, Gerlovina I, Boene S, Garcia-Ulloa M, Cisteró P, Katairo T, Semakuba FD, Nsengimaana B, Gwarinda H, García-Fernández C, Da Silva C, Datta D, Kiyaga S, Wiringilimaana I, Fekele SM, Parr JB, Conrad M, Raman J, Tukwasibwe S, Ssewanyana I, Rovira-Vallbona E, Tato CM, Briggs J, Mayor A, Greenhouse B. Sensitive and modular amplicon sequencing of Plasmodium falciparum diversity and resistance for research and public health. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.22.609145. [PMID: 39229023 PMCID: PMC11370457 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.22.609145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Targeted amplicon sequencing is a powerful and efficient tool to interrogate the P . falciparum genome and generate actionable data from infections to complement traditional malaria epidemiology. For maximum impact, genomic tools should be multi-purpose, robust, sensitive and reproducible. We developed, characterized, and implemented MAD 4 HatTeR, an amplicon sequencing panel based on Multiplex Amplicons for Drug, Diagnostic, Diversity, and Differentiation Haplotypes using Targeted Resequencing, along with a bioinformatic pipeline for data analysis. MAD 4 HatTeR targets 165 highly diverse loci, focusing on multiallelic microhaplotypes; key markers for drug and diagnostic resistance, including duplications and deletions; and csp and potential vaccine targets. In addition, it can detect non- falciparum Plasmodium species. We used laboratory control and field sample data to demonstrate the high sensitivity and robustness of the panel. The successful implementation of this method in five laboratories, including three in malaria-endemic African countries, showcases its feasibility in generating reproducible data across laboratories. Finally, we introduce an analytical approach to detect gene duplications and deletions from amplicon sequencing data. MAD 4 HatTeR is thus a powerful research tool and a robust resource for malaria public health surveillance and control.
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Hofer LM, Kweyamba PA, Sayi RM, Chabo MS, Mwanga R, Maitra SL, Somboka MM, Schnoz A, Golumbeanu M, Schneeberger PHH, Ross A, Habtewold T, Nsanzabana C, Moore SJ, Tambwe MM. Additional blood meals increase sporozoite infection in Anopheles mosquitoes but not Plasmodium falciparum genetic diversity. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17467. [PMID: 39075150 PMCID: PMC11286785 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67990-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
The availability of nutrients from mosquito blood meals accelerates the development of Plasmodium falciparum laboratory strains in artificially infected Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. The impact of multiple blood meals on the number of P. falciparum genotypes developing from polyclonal natural human malaria infections (field-isolates) remains unexplored. Here, we experimentally infect An. gambiae with P. falciparum field-isolates and measure the impact of an additional non-infectious blood meal on parasite development. We also assess parasite genetic diversity at the blood stage level of the parasite in the human host and of the sporozoites in the mosquito. Additional blood meals increase the sporozoite infection prevalence and intensity, but do not substantially affect the genetic diversity of sporozoites in the mosquito. The most abundant parasite genotypes in the human blood were transmitted to mosquitoes, suggesting that there was no preferential selection of specific genotypes. This study underlines the importance of additional mosquito blood meals for the development of parasite field-isolates in the mosquito host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenz M Hofer
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001, Basel, Switzerland.
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit (VCPTU) Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences, P.O. Box 74, Bagamoyo, Tanzania.
| | - Prisca A Kweyamba
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit (VCPTU) Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences, P.O. Box 74, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
| | - Rajabu M Sayi
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit (VCPTU) Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences, P.O. Box 74, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
| | - Mohamed S Chabo
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit (VCPTU) Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences, P.O. Box 74, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
| | - Rehema Mwanga
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit (VCPTU) Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences, P.O. Box 74, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
| | - Sonali L Maitra
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit (VCPTU) Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences, P.O. Box 74, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
| | - Mariam M Somboka
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit (VCPTU) Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences, P.O. Box 74, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
| | - Annina Schnoz
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Monica Golumbeanu
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pierre H H Schneeberger
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Amanda Ross
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tibebu Habtewold
- Departement of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Christian Nsanzabana
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sarah J Moore
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit (VCPTU) Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences, P.O. Box 74, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
- The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), P.O. Box 447, Tengeru, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Mgeni M Tambwe
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit (VCPTU) Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences, P.O. Box 74, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
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Lapp Z, Freedman E, Huang K, Markwalter CF, Obala AA, Prudhomme-O’Meara W, Taylor SM. Analytic optimization of Plasmodium falciparum marker gene haplotype recovery from amplicon deep sequencing of complex mixtures. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002361. [PMID: 38814915 PMCID: PMC11139333 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Molecular epidemiologic studies of malaria parasites and other pathogens commonly employ amplicon deep sequencing (AmpSeq) of marker genes derived from dried blood spots (DBS) to answer public health questions related to topics such as transmission and drug resistance. As these methods are increasingly employed to inform direct public health action, it is important to rigorously evaluate the risk of false positive and false negative haplotypes derived from clinically-relevant sample types. We performed a control experiment evaluating haplotype recovery from AmpSeq of 5 marker genes (ama1, csp, msp7, sera2, and trap) from DBS containing mixtures of DNA from 1 to 10 known P. falciparum reference strains across 3 parasite densities in triplicate (n = 270 samples). While false positive haplotypes were present across all parasite densities and mixtures, we optimized censoring criteria to remove 83% (148/179) of false positives while removing only 8% (67/859) of true positives. Post-censoring, the median pairwise Jaccard distance between replicates was 0.83. We failed to recover 35% (477/1365) of haplotypes expected to be present in the sample. Haplotypes were more likely to be missed in low-density samples with <1.5 genomes/μL (OR: 3.88, CI: 1.82-8.27, vs. high-density samples with ≥75 genomes/μL) and in samples with lower read depth (OR per 10,000 reads: 0.61, CI: 0.54-0.69). Furthermore, minority haplotypes within a sample were more likely to be missed than dominant haplotypes (OR per 0.01 increase in proportion: 0.96, CI: 0.96-0.97). Finally, in clinical samples the percent concordance across markers for multiplicity of infection ranged from 40%-80%. Taken together, our observations indicate that, with sufficient read depth, the majority of haplotypes can be successfully recovered from DBS while limiting the false positive rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zena Lapp
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Freedman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Kathie Huang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Christine F. Markwalter
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Andrew A. Obala
- School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Wendy Prudhomme-O’Meara
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Steve M. Taylor
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
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Goodwin J, Kajubi R, Wang K, Li F, Wade M, Orukan F, Huang L, Whalen M, Aweeka FT, Mwebaza N, Parikh S. Persistent and multiclonal malaria parasite dynamics despite extended artemether-lumefantrine treatment in children. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3817. [PMID: 38714692 PMCID: PMC11076639 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48210-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Standard diagnostics used in longitudinal antimalarial studies are unable to characterize the complexity of submicroscopic parasite dynamics, particularly in high transmission settings. We use molecular markers and amplicon sequencing to characterize post-treatment stage-specific malaria parasite dynamics during a 42 day randomized trial of 3- versus 5 day artemether-lumefantrine in 303 children with and without HIV (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT03453840). The prevalence of parasite-derived 18S rRNA is >70% in children throughout follow-up, and the ring-stage marker SBP1 is detectable in over 15% of children on day 14 despite effective treatment. We find that the extended regimen significantly lowers the risk of recurrent ring-stage parasitemia compared to the standard 3 day regimen, and that higher day 7 lumefantrine concentrations decrease the probability of ring-stage parasites in the early post-treatment period. Longitudinal amplicon sequencing reveals remarkably dynamic patterns of multiclonal infections that include new and persistent clones in both the early post-treatment and later time periods. Our data indicate that post-treatment parasite dynamics are highly complex despite efficacious therapy, findings that will inform strategies to optimize regimens in the face of emerging partial artemisinin resistance in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Goodwin
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Richard Kajubi
- Infectious Disease Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Kaicheng Wang
- Yale Center for Analytical Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Fangyong Li
- Yale Center for Analytical Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Martina Wade
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Francis Orukan
- Infectious Disease Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Liusheng Huang
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Meghan Whalen
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Norah Mwebaza
- Infectious Disease Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Sunil Parikh
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Gupta H, Sharma S, Gilyazova I, Satyamoorthy K. Molecular tools are crucial for malaria elimination. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:555. [PMID: 38642192 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09496-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
The eradication of Plasmodium parasites, responsible for malaria, is a daunting global public health task. It requires a comprehensive approach that addresses symptomatic, asymptomatic, and submicroscopic cases. Overcoming this challenge relies on harnessing the power of molecular diagnostic tools, as traditional methods like microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests fall short in detecting low parasitaemia, contributing to the persistence of malaria transmission. By precisely identifying patients of all types and effectively characterizing malaria parasites, molecular tools may emerge as indispensable allies in the pursuit of malaria elimination. Furthermore, molecular tools can also provide valuable insights into parasite diversity, drug resistance patterns, and transmission dynamics, aiding in the implementation of targeted interventions and surveillance strategies. In this review, we explore the significance of molecular tools in the pursuit of malaria elimination, shedding light on their key contributions and potential impact on public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Gupta
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Applied Sciences & Humanities, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - Sonal Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Applied Sciences & Humanities, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Irina Gilyazova
- Subdivision of the Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa, 450054, Russia
- Bashkir State Medical University, Ufa, 450008, Russia
| | - Kapaettu Satyamoorthy
- SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara (SDM) University, Manjushree Nagar, Sattur, Dharwad, 580009, Karnataka, India
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Vareta J, Horstman NA, Adams M, Seydel KB, McCann RS, Cohee LM, Laufer MK, Takala-Harrison S. Genotyping Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes using amplicon deep sequencing. Malar J 2024; 23:96. [PMID: 38582837 PMCID: PMC10999092 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-024-04920-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the dynamics of gametocyte production in polyclonal Plasmodium falciparum infections requires a genotyping method that detects distinct gametocyte clones and estimates their relative frequencies. Here, a marker was identified and evaluated to genotype P. falciparum mature gametocytes using amplicon deep sequencing. METHODS A data set of polymorphic regions of the P. falciparum genome was mined to identify a gametocyte genotyping marker. To assess marker resolution, the number of unique haplotypes in the marker region was estimated from 95 Malawian P. falciparum whole genome sequences. Specificity of the marker for detection of mature gametocytes was evaluated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction of RNA extracted from NF54 mature gametocytes and rings from a non-gametocyte-producing strain of P. falciparum. Amplicon deep sequencing was performed on experimental mixtures of mature gametocytes from two distinct parasite clones, as well as gametocyte-positive P. falciparum field isolates to evaluate the quantitative ability and determine the limit of detection of the genotyping approach. RESULTS A 400 bp region of the pfs230 gene was identified as a gametocyte genotyping marker. A larger number of unique haplotypes was observed at the pfs230 marker (34) compared to the sera-2 (18) and ama-1 (14) markers in field isolates from Malawi. RNA and DNA genotyping accurately estimated gametocyte and total parasite clone frequencies when evaluating agreement between expected and observed haplotype frequencies in gametocyte mixtures, with concordance correlation coefficients of 0.97 [95% CI: 0.92-0.99] and 0.92 [95% CI: 0.83-0.97], respectively. The detection limit of the genotyping method for male gametocytes was 0.41 pfmget transcripts/µl [95% CI: 0.28-0.72] and for female gametocytes was 1.98 ccp4 transcripts/µl [95% CI: 1.35-3.68]. CONCLUSIONS A region of the pfs230 gene was identified as a marker to genotype P. falciparum gametocytes. Amplicon deep sequencing of this marker can be used to estimate the number and relative frequency of parasite clones among mature gametocytes within P. falciparum infections. This gametocyte genotyping marker will be an important tool for studies aimed at understanding dynamics of gametocyte production in polyclonal P. falciparum infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimmy Vareta
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Natalie A Horstman
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Matthew Adams
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Karl B Seydel
- Blantyre Malaria Project, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Robert S McCann
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lauren M Cohee
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Miriam K Laufer
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shannon Takala-Harrison
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Ishengoma DS, Mandara CI, Madebe RA, Warsame M, Ngasala B, Kabanywanyi AM, Mahende MK, Kamugisha E, Kavishe RA, Muro F, Mandike R, Mkude S, Chacky F, Njau R, Martin T, Mohamed A, Bailey JA, Fola AA. Microsatellites reveal high polymorphism and high potential for use in anti-malarial efficacy studies in areas with different transmission intensities in mainland Tanzania. Malar J 2024; 23:79. [PMID: 38491359 PMCID: PMC10943981 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-024-04901-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tanzania is currently implementing therapeutic efficacy studies (TES) in areas of varying malaria transmission intensities as per the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. In TES, distinguishing reinfection from recrudescence is critical for the determination of anti-malarial efficacy. Recently, the WHO recommended genotyping polymorphic coding genes, merozoite surface proteins 1 and 2 (msp1 and msp2), and replacing the glutamate-rich protein (glurp) gene with one of the highly polymorphic microsatellites in Plasmodium falciparum to adjust the efficacy of antimalarials in TES. This study assessed the polymorphisms of six neutral microsatellite markers and their potential use in TES, which is routinely performed in Tanzania. METHODS Plasmodium falciparum samples were obtained from four TES sentinel sites, Kibaha (Pwani), Mkuzi (Tanga), Mlimba (Morogoro) and Ujiji (Kigoma), between April and September 2016. Parasite genomic DNA was extracted from dried blood spots on filter papers using commercial kits. Genotyping was done using six microsatellites (Poly-α, PfPK2, TA1, C3M69, C2M34 and M2490) by capillary method, and the data were analysed to determine the extent of their polymorphisms and genetic diversity at the four sites. RESULTS Overall, 83 (88.3%) of the 94 samples were successfully genotyped (with positive results for ≥ 50.0% of the markers), and > 50.0% of the samples (range = 47.6-59.1%) were polyclonal, with a mean multiplicity of infection (MOI) ranging from 1.68 to 1.88 among the four sites. There was high genetic diversity but limited variability among the four sites based on mean allelic richness (RS = 7.48, range = 7.27-8.03, for an adjusted minimum sample size of 18 per site) and mean expected heterozygosity (He = 0.83, range = 0.80-0.85). Cluster analysis of haplotypes using STRUCTURE, principal component analysis, and pairwise genetic differentiation (FST) did not reveal population structure or clustering of parasites according to geographic origin. Of the six markers, Poly-α was the most polymorphic, followed by C2M34, TA1 and C3M69, while M2490 was the least polymorphic. CONCLUSION Microsatellite genotyping revealed high polyclonality and genetic diversity but no significant population structure. Poly-α, C2M34, TA1 and C3M69 were the most polymorphic markers, and Poly-α alone or with any of the other three markers could be adopted for use in TES in Tanzania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deus S Ishengoma
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Celine I Mandara
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Rashid A Madebe
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | | | - Billy Ngasala
- Department of Parasitology, School of Public Health, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, International Maternal and Child Health (IMCH), Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | | | - Erasmus Kamugisha
- Bugando Medical Centre, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania
| | - Reginald A Kavishe
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Florida Muro
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Renata Mandike
- National Malaria Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Sigsbert Mkude
- National Malaria Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Frank Chacky
- National Malaria Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Ritha Njau
- Malariologist and Public Health Specialist, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Troy Martin
- HIV Vaccine Trials Network, Fred Hutch Cancer Research Centre, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ally Mohamed
- National Malaria Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Jeffrey A Bailey
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Abebe A Fola
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Holzschuh A, Ewnetu Y, Carlier L, Lerch A, Gerlovina I, Baker SC, Yewhalaw D, Haileselassie W, Berhane N, Lemma W, Koepfli C. Plasmodium falciparum transmission in the highlands of Ethiopia is driven by closely related and clonal parasites. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17292. [PMID: 38339833 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Malaria cases are frequently recorded in the Ethiopian highlands even at altitudes above 2000 m. The epidemiology of malaria in the Ethiopian highlands, and, in particular, the role of importation by human migration from the highly endemic lowlands is not well understood. We sequenced 187 Plasmodium falciparum samples from two sites in the Ethiopian highlands, Gondar (n = 159) and Ziway (n = 28), using a multiplexed droplet digital PCR (ddPCR)-based amplicon sequencing method targeting 35 microhaplotypes and drug resistance loci. Here, we characterize the parasite population structure and genetic relatedness. We identify moderate parasite diversity (mean HE : 0.54) and low infection complexity (74.9% monoclonal). A significant percentage of infections share microhaplotypes, even across transmission seasons and sites, indicating persistent local transmission. We identify multiple clusters of clonal or near-clonal infections, highlighting high genetic relatedness. Only 6.3% of individuals diagnosed with P. falciparum reported recent travel. Yet, in clonal or near-clonal clusters, infections of travellers were frequently observed first in time, suggesting that parasites may have been imported and then transmitted locally. 31.1% of infections are pfhrp2-deleted and 84.4% pfhrp3-deleted, and 28.7% have pfhrp2/3 double deletions. Parasites with pfhrp2/3 deletions and wild-type parasites are genetically distinct. Mutations associated with resistance to sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine or suggested to reduce sensitivity to lumefantrine are observed at near-fixation. In conclusion, genomic data corroborate local transmission and the importance of intensified control in the Ethiopian highlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurel Holzschuh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Yalemwork Ewnetu
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Lise Carlier
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Noul Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Anita Lerch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Inna Gerlovina
- Department of Medicine, Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, EPPIcenter Research Program, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sarah Cate Baker
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Delenasaw Yewhalaw
- Tropical and Infectious Disease Research Center, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | | | - Nega Berhane
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Wossenseged Lemma
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Cristian Koepfli
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
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9
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de Cesare M, Mwenda M, Jeffreys AE, Chirwa J, Drakeley C, Schneider K, Mambwe B, Glanz K, Ntalla C, Carrasquilla M, Portugal S, Verity RJ, Bailey JA, Ghinai I, Busby GB, Hamainza B, Hawela M, Bridges DJ, Hendry JA. Flexible and cost-effective genomic surveillance of P. falciparum malaria with targeted nanopore sequencing. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1413. [PMID: 38360754 PMCID: PMC10869361 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45688-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Genomic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum malaria can provide policy-relevant information about antimalarial drug resistance, diagnostic test failure, and the evolution of vaccine targets. Yet the large and low complexity genome of P. falciparum complicates the development of genomic methods, while resource constraints in malaria endemic regions can limit their deployment. Here, we demonstrate an approach for targeted nanopore sequencing of P. falciparum from dried blood spots (DBS) that enables cost-effective genomic surveillance of malaria in low-resource settings. We release software that facilitates flexible design of amplicon sequencing panels and use this software to design two target panels for P. falciparum. The panels generate 3-4 kbp reads for eight and sixteen targets respectively, covering key drug-resistance associated genes, diagnostic test antigens, polymorphic markers and the vaccine target csp. We validate our approach on mock and field samples, demonstrating robust sequencing coverage, accurate variant calls within coding sequences, the ability to explore P. falciparum within-sample diversity and to detect deletions underlying rapid diagnostic test failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariateresa de Cesare
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Anna E Jeffreys
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford, UK
| | - Jacob Chirwa
- National Malaria Elimination Centre, Chainama, Lusaka, Zambia
| | | | | | | | - Karolina Glanz
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Jeffrey A Bailey
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Isaac Ghinai
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford, UK
| | - George B Busby
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford, UK
| | - Busiku Hamainza
- National Malaria Elimination Centre, Chainama, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Moonga Hawela
- National Malaria Elimination Centre, Chainama, Lusaka, Zambia
| | | | - Jason A Hendry
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford, UK.
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany.
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Holzschuh A, Lerch A, Fakih BS, Aliy SM, Ali MH, Ali MA, Bruzzese DJ, Yukich J, Hetzel MW, Koepfli C. Using a mobile nanopore sequencing lab for end-to-end genomic surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum: A feasibility study. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002743. [PMID: 38300956 PMCID: PMC10833559 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Genomic epidemiology holds promise for malaria control and elimination efforts, for example by informing on Plasmodium falciparum genetic diversity and prevalence of mutations conferring anti-malarial drug resistance. Limited sequencing infrastructure in many malaria-endemic areas prevents the rapid generation of genomic data. To address these issues, we developed and validated assays for P. falciparum nanopore sequencing in endemic sites using a mobile laboratory, targeting key antimalarial drug resistance markers and microhaplotypes. Using two multiplexed PCR reactions, we amplified six highly polymorphic microhaplotypes and ten drug resistance markers. We developed a bioinformatics workflow that allows genotyping of polyclonal malaria infections, including minority clones. We validated the panels on mock dried blood spot (DBS) and rapid diagnostic test (RDT) samples and archived DBS, demonstrating even, high read coverage across amplicons (range: 580x to 3,212x median coverage), high haplotype calling accuracy, and the ability to explore within-sample diversity of polyclonal infections. We field-tested the feasibility of rapid genotyping in Zanzibar in close collaboration with the local malaria elimination program using DBS and routinely collected RDTs as sample inputs. Our assay identified haplotypes known to confer resistance to known antimalarials in the dhfr, dhps and mdr1 genes, but no evidence of artemisinin partial resistance. Most infections (60%) were polyclonal, with high microhaplotype diversity (median HE = 0.94). In conclusion, our assays generated actionable data within a few days, and we identified current challenges for implementing nanopore sequencing in endemic countries to accelerate malaria control and elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurel Holzschuh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Anita Lerch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Bakar S. Fakih
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Safia Mohammed Aliy
- Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme, Ministry of Health, Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Mohamed Haji Ali
- Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme, Ministry of Health, Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Mohamed Ali Ali
- Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme, Ministry of Health, Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Daniel J. Bruzzese
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Joshua Yukich
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, United States of America
| | - Manuel W. Hetzel
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Cristian Koepfli
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
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11
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Ruybal-Pesántez S, McCann K, Vibin J, Siegel S, Auburn S, Barry AE. Molecular markers for malaria genetic epidemiology: progress and pitfalls. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:147-163. [PMID: 38129280 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Over recent years, progress in molecular markers for genotyping malaria parasites has enabled informative studies of epidemiology and transmission dynamics. Results have highlighted the value of these tools for surveillance to support malaria control and elimination strategies. There are many different types and panels of markers available for malaria parasite genotyping, and for end users, the nuances of these markers with respect to 'use case', resolution, and accuracy, are not well defined. This review clarifies issues surrounding different molecular markers and their application to malaria control and elimination. We describe available marker panels, use cases, implications for different transmission settings, limitations, access, cost, and data accuracy. The information provided can be used as a guide for molecular epidemiology and surveillance of malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shazia Ruybal-Pesántez
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, UK; Institute of Microbiology, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Kirsty McCann
- Life Sciences Discipline, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Innovation in Infectious Disease and Immunology Research (CIIDIR), Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT) and School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jessy Vibin
- Life Sciences Discipline, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Innovation in Infectious Disease and Immunology Research (CIIDIR), Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT) and School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Sarah Auburn
- Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Alyssa E Barry
- Life Sciences Discipline, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Innovation in Infectious Disease and Immunology Research (CIIDIR), Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT) and School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
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12
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Lobanov VA, Konecsni KA, Scandrett WB, Jenkins EJ. Identification of Trichinella taxa by ITS-1 amplicon next-generation sequencing with an improved resolution for detecting underrepresented genotypes in mixed natural infections. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:466. [PMID: 38129932 PMCID: PMC10734138 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06035-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amplicon-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) has rapidly gained popularity as a powerful method for delineating taxa in complex communities, including helminths. Here, we applied this approach to identify species and genotypes of zoonotic nematodes of the Trichinella genus. A known limitation of the current multiplex PCR (mPCR) assay recommended by the International Commission on Trichinellosis is that it does not differentiate Trichinella nativa from T. chanchalensis. METHODS The new assay entails deep sequencing of an amplified variable fragment of the ribosomal cistron's (rDNA) internal transcribed spacer 1 using the Illumina platform. The assay was evaluated using first-stage larvae (L1) of select laboratory strains of various Trichinella taxa mixed in known proportions and then validated using archived L1 from 109 wildlife hosts. The species/genotypes of these L1 isolates from wildlife were previously determined using mPCR. RESULTS NGS data analysis for Trichinella laboratory strains selected as representative of North American fauna revealed a sequence representation bias. Trichinella pseudospiralis, a non-encapsulated species, was the most underrepresented when mixed with T. spiralis, T. murrelli, T. nativa and Trichinella T6 in equal quantities. However, five L1 of T. pseudospiralis were readily revealed by NGS in a mix with 2000 L1 of T. nativa (1:400 ratio). From naturally infected wildlife, all Trichinella taxa revealed by mPCR were also identified by NGS in 103 of 107 (96.3%) samples amplified on both assays. NGS identified additional taxa in 11 (10.3%) samples, whereas additional taxa were revealed by mPCR in only four (3.7%) samples. Most isolates comprised single or mixed infections of T. nativa and Trichinella T6. On NGS, T. chanchalensis (T13) was detected in combination with Trichinella T6 in a wolverine (Gulo gulo) and in combination with T. nativa and Trichinella T6 in a marten (Martes americana) from the Northwest Territories, Canada. CONCLUSIONS This new NGS assay demonstrates strong potential as a single assay for identifying all recognised Trichinella taxa as well as improved sensitivity for detecting under-represented and novel genotypes in mixed infections. In addition, we report a new host record for T. chanchalensis in American marten.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladislav A Lobanov
- Center for Food-borne and Animal Parasitology, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
| | - Kelly A Konecsni
- Center for Food-borne and Animal Parasitology, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - W Brad Scandrett
- Center for Food-borne and Animal Parasitology, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Emily J Jenkins
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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13
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Reda AG, Huwe T, Koepfli C, Assefa A, Tessema SK, Messele A, Golassa L, Mamo H. Amplicon deep sequencing of five highly polymorphic markers of Plasmodium falciparum reveals high parasite genetic diversity and moderate population structure in Ethiopia. Malar J 2023; 22:376. [PMID: 38087335 PMCID: PMC10714478 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04814-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plasmodium falciparum genetic diversity can add information on transmission intensity and can be used to track control and elimination interventions. METHODS Dried blood spots (DBS) were collected from patients who were recruited for a P. falciparum malaria therapeutic efficacy trial in three malaria endemic sites in Ethiopia from October to December 2015, and November to December 2019. qPCR-confirmed infections were subject to amplicon sequencing of polymorphic markers ama1-D3, csp, cpp, cpmp, msp7. Genetic diversity, the proportion of multiclonal infections, multiplicity of infection, and population structure were analysed. RESULTS Among 198 samples selected for sequencing, data was obtained for 181 samples. Mean MOI was 1.38 (95% CI 1.24-1.53) and 17% (31/181) of infections were polyclonal. Mean He across all markers was 0.730. Population structure was moderate; populations from Metema and Metehara 2015 were very similar to each other, but distinct from Wondogent 2015 and Metehara 2019. CONCLUSION The high level of parasite genetic diversity and moderate population structure in this study suggests frequent gene flow of parasites among sites. The results obtained can be used as a baseline for additional parasite genetic diversity and structure studies, aiding in the formulation of appropriate control strategies in Ethiopia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abeba Gebretsadik Reda
- Department of Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
- Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases Research Team, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
| | - Tiffany Huwe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA.
| | - Cristian Koepfli
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Ashenafi Assefa
- Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases Research Team, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Alebachew Messele
- Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Lemu Golassa
- Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
| | - Hassen Mamo
- Department of Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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14
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Plaza DF, Zerebinski J, Broumou I, Lautenbach MJ, Ngasala B, Sundling C, Färnert A. A genomic platform for surveillance and antigen discovery in Plasmodium spp. using long-read amplicon sequencing. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100574. [PMID: 37751696 PMCID: PMC10545912 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Many vaccine candidate proteins in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum are under strong immunological pressure and confer antigenic diversity. We present a sequencing and data analysis platform for the genomic surveillance of the insertion or deletion (indel)-rich antigens merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1), MSP2, glutamate-rich protein (GLURP), and CSP from P. falciparum using long-read circular consensus sequencing (CCS) in multiclonal malaria isolates. Our platform uses 40 PCR primers per gene to asymmetrically barcode and identify multiclonal infections in pools of up to 384 samples. With msp2, we validated the method using 235 mock infections combining 10 synthetic variants at different concentrations and infection complexities. We applied this strategy to P. falciparum isolates from a longitudinal cohort in Tanzania. Finally, we constructed an analysis pipeline that streamlines the processing and interpretation of epidemiological and antigenic diversity data from demultiplexed FASTQ files. This platform can be easily adapted to other polymorphic antigens of interest in Plasmodium or any other human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Fernando Plaza
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Julia Zerebinski
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ioanna Broumou
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maximilian Julius Lautenbach
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Billy Ngasala
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam 57RF+V8, Tanzania
| | - Christopher Sundling
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Färnert
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
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15
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Andika B, Mobegi V, Gathii K, Nyataya J, Maina N, Awinda G, Mutai B, Waitumbi J. Plasmodium falciparum population structure inferred by msp1 amplicon sequencing of parasites collected from febrile patients in Kenya. Malar J 2023; 22:263. [PMID: 37689681 PMCID: PMC10492417 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04700-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiplicity of infection (MOI) is an important measure of Plasmodium falciparum diversity, usually derived from the highly polymorphic genes, such as msp1, msp2 and glurp as well as microsatellites. Conventional methods of deriving MOI lack fine resolution needed to discriminate minor clones. This study used amplicon sequencing (AmpliSeq) of P. falciparum msp1 (Pfmsp1) to measure spatial and temporal genetic diversity of P. falciparum. METHODS 264 P. falciparum positive blood samples collected from areas of differing malaria endemicities between 2010 and 2019 were used. Pfmsp1 gene was amplified and amplicon libraries sequenced on Illumina MiSeq. Sequences were aligned against a reference sequence (NC_004330.2) and clustered to detect fragment length polymorphism and amino acid variations. RESULTS Children < 5 years had higher parasitaemia (median = 23.5 ± 5 SD, p = 0.03) than the > 5-14 (= 25.3 ± 5 SD), and those > 15 (= 25.1 ± 6 SD). Of the alleles detected, 553 (54.5%) were K1, 250 (24.7%) MAD20 and 211 (20.8%) RO33 that grouped into 19 K1 allelic families (108-270 bp), 14 MAD20 (108-216 bp) and one RO33 (153 bp). AmpliSeq revealed nucleotide polymorphisms in alleles that had similar sizes, thus increasing the K1 to 104, 58 for MAD20 and 14 for RO33. By AmpliSeq, the mean MOI was 4.8 (± 0.78, 95% CI) for the malaria endemic Lake Victoria region, 4.4 (± 1.03, 95% CI) for the epidemic prone Kisii Highland and 3.4 (± 0.62, 95% CI) for the seasonal malaria Semi-Arid region. MOI decreased with age: 4.5 (± 0.76, 95% CI) for children < 5 years, compared to 3.9 (± 0.70, 95% CI) for ages 5 to 14 and 2.7 (± 0.90, 95% CI) for those > 15. Females' MOI (4.2 ± 0.66, 95% CI) was not different from males 4.0 (± 0.61, 95% CI). In all regions, the number of alleles were high in the 2014-2015 period, more so in the Lake Victoria and the seasonal transmission arid regions. CONCLUSION These findings highlight the added advantages of AmpliSeq in haplotype discrimination and the associated improvement in unravelling complexity of P. falciparum population structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Andika
- Basic Science Laboratory, United States Army Medical Research Directorate, Kisumu, Kenya
- Department of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Victor Mobegi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Kimita Gathii
- Basic Science Laboratory, United States Army Medical Research Directorate, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Josphat Nyataya
- Basic Science Laboratory, United States Army Medical Research Directorate, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Naomi Maina
- Department of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - George Awinda
- Basic Science Laboratory, United States Army Medical Research Directorate, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Beth Mutai
- Basic Science Laboratory, United States Army Medical Research Directorate, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - John Waitumbi
- Basic Science Laboratory, United States Army Medical Research Directorate, Kisumu, Kenya.
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16
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Lapp Z, Freedman E, Huang K, Markwalter CF, Obala AA, Prudhomme-O'Meara W, Taylor SM. Analytic optimization of Plasmodium falciparum marker gene haplotype recovery from amplicon deep sequencing of complex mixtures. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.08.17.23294237. [PMID: 37662206 PMCID: PMC10473802 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.17.23294237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Molecular epidemiologic studies of malaria parasites commonly employ amplicon deep sequencing (AmpSeq) of marker genes derived from dried blood spots (DBS) to answer public health questions related to topics such as transmission and drug resistance. As these methods are increasingly employed to inform direct public health action, it is important to rigorously evaluate the risk of false positive and false negative haplotypes derived from clinically-relevant sample types. We performed a control experiment evaluating haplotype recovery from AmpSeq of 5 marker genes (ama1, csp, msp7, sera2, and trap) from DBS containing mixtures of DNA from 1 to 10 known P. falciparum reference strains across 3 parasite densities in triplicate (n=270 samples). While false positive haplotypes were present across all parasite densities and mixtures, we optimized censoring criteria to remove 83% (148/179) of false positives while removing only 8% (67/859) of true positives. Post-censoring, the median pairwise Jaccard distance between replicates was 0.83. We failed to recover 35% (477/1365) of haplotypes expected to be present in the sample. Haplotypes were more likely to be missed in low-density samples with <1.5 genomes/μL (OR: 3.88, CI: 1.82-8.27, vs. high-density samples with ≥75 genomes/μL) and in samples with lower read depth (OR per 10,000 reads: 0.61, CI: 0.54-0.69). Furthermore, minority haplotypes within a sample were more likely to be missed than dominant haplotypes (OR per 0.01 increase in proportion: 0.96, CI: 0.96-0.97). Finally, in clinical samples the percent concordance across markers for multiplicity of infection ranged from 40%-80%. Taken together, our observations indicate that, with sufficient read depth, haplotypes can be successfully recovered from DBS while limiting the false positive rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zena Lapp
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Elizabeth Freedman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kathie Huang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Andrew A Obala
- School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Wendy Prudhomme-O'Meara
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Steve M Taylor
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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17
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Holzschuh A, Lerch A, Gerlovina I, Fakih BS, Al-Mafazy AWH, Reaves EJ, Ali A, Abbas F, Ali MH, Ali MA, Hetzel MW, Yukich J, Koepfli C. Multiplexed ddPCR-amplicon sequencing reveals isolated Plasmodium falciparum populations amenable to local elimination in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3699. [PMID: 37349311 PMCID: PMC10287761 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39417-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Zanzibar has made significant progress toward malaria elimination, but recent stagnation requires novel approaches. We developed a highly multiplexed droplet digital PCR (ddPCR)-based amplicon sequencing method targeting 35 microhaplotypes and drug-resistance loci, and successfully sequenced 290 samples from five districts covering both main islands. Here, we elucidate fine-scale Plasmodium falciparum population structure and infer relatedness and connectivity of infections using an identity-by-descent (IBD) approach. Despite high genetic diversity, we observe pronounced fine-scale spatial and temporal parasite genetic structure. Clusters of near-clonal infections on Pemba indicate persistent local transmission with limited parasite importation, presenting an opportunity for local elimination efforts. Furthermore, we observe an admixed parasite population on Unguja and detect a substantial fraction (2.9%) of significantly related infection pairs between Zanzibar and the mainland, suggesting recent importation. Our study provides a high-resolution view of parasite genetic structure across the Zanzibar archipelago and provides actionable insights for prioritizing malaria elimination efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurel Holzschuh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, IN, USA.
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.
| | - Anita Lerch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, IN, USA
| | - Inna Gerlovina
- EPPIcenter Research Program, Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bakar S Fakih
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | | | - Erik J Reaves
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, President's Malaria Initiative, Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Abdullah Ali
- Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme, Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Faiza Abbas
- Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme, Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Mohamed Haji Ali
- Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme, Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Mohamed Ali Ali
- Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme, Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Manuel W Hetzel
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Joshua Yukich
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Cristian Koepfli
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, IN, USA.
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18
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Castañeda-Mogollón D, Toppings NB, Kamaliddin C, Lang R, Kuhn S, Pillai DR. Amplicon Deep Sequencing Reveals Multiple Genetic Events Lead to Treatment Failure with Atovaquone-Proguanil in Plasmodium falciparum. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0170922. [PMID: 37154745 PMCID: PMC10269153 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01709-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Atovaquone-proguanil (AP) is used as treatment for uncomplicated malaria, and as a chemoprophylactic agent against Plasmodium falciparum. Imported malaria remains one of the top causes of fever in Canadian returning travelers. Twelve sequential whole-blood samples before and after AP treatment failure were obtained from a patient diagnosed with P. falciparum malaria upon their return from Uganda and Sudan. Ultradeep sequencing was performed on the cytb, dhfr, and dhps markers of treatment resistance before and during the episode of recrudescence. Haplotyping profiles were generated using three different approaches: msp2-3D7 agarose and capillary electrophoresis, and cpmp using amplicon deep sequencing (ADS). A complexity of infection (COI) analysis was conducted. De novo cytb Y268C mutants strains were observed during an episode of recrudescence 17 days and 16 h after the initial malaria diagnosis and AP treatment initiation. No Y268C mutant reads were observed in any of the samples prior to the recrudescence. SNPs in the dhfr and dhps genes were observed upon initial presentation. The haplotyping profiles suggest multiple clones mutating under AP selection pressure (COI > 3). Significant differences in COI were observed by capillary electrophoresis and ADS compared to the agarose gel results. ADS using cpmp revealed the lowest haplotype variation across the longitudinal analysis. Our findings highlight the value of ultra-deep sequencing methods in the understanding of P. falciparum haplotype infection dynamics. Longitudinal samples should be analyzed in genotyping studies to increase the analytical sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Castañeda-Mogollón
- Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Calvin, Phoebe & Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Noah B. Toppings
- Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Calvin, Phoebe & Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Claire Kamaliddin
- Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Calvin, Phoebe & Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Raynell Lang
- Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Community Health Sciences, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Susan Kuhn
- Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dylan R. Pillai
- Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Calvin, Phoebe & Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Precision Laboratories, Diagnostic & Scientific Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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19
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Dieng CC, Ford CT, Lerch A, Doniou D, Vegesna K, Janies D, Cui L, Amoah L, Afrane Y, Lo E. Genetic variations of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein and the impact on interactions with human immunoproteins and malaria vaccine efficacy. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2023; 110:105418. [PMID: 36841398 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
In October 2021, the world's first malaria vaccine RTS,S was endorsed by WHO for broad use in children, despite its low efficacy. This study examined polyclonal infections and the associations of parasite genetic variations with binding affinity to human leukocyte antigen (HLA). Multiplicity of infection was determined by amplicon deep sequencing of PfMSP1. Genetic variations in PfCSP were examined across 88 samples from Ghana and analyzed together with 1655 PfCSP sequences from other African and non-African isolates. Binding interactions of PfCSP peptide variants and HLA were predicted using NetChop and HADDOCK. High polyclonality was detected among infections, with each infection harboring multiple non-3D7 PfCSP variants. Twenty-seven PfCSP haplotypes were detected in the Ghanaian samples, and they broadly represented PfCSP diversity across Africa. The number of genetic differences between 3D7 and non-3D7 PfCSP variants does not influence binding to HLA. However, CSP peptide length after proteolytic degradation significantly affects its molecular weight and binding affinity to HLA. Despite the high diversity of HLA, the majority of the HLAI and II alleles interacted/bound with all Ghana CSP peptides. Multiple non-3D7 strains among P. falciparum infections could impact the effectiveness of RTS,S. Longer peptides of the Th2R/Th3R CSP regions should be considered in future versions of RTS,S.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheikh Cambel Dieng
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.
| | - Colby T Ford
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA; School of Data Science, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.
| | - Anita Lerch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Dickson Doniou
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kovidh Vegesna
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Daniel Janies
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Linda Amoah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana; West Africa Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Yaw Afrane
- Department of Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Eugenia Lo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA; School of Data Science, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.
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20
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Kattenberg JH, Fernandez-Miñope C, van Dijk NJ, Llacsahuanga Allcca L, Guetens P, Valdivia HO, Van geertruyden JP, Rovira-Vallbona E, Monsieurs P, Delgado-Ratto C, Gamboa D, Rosanas-Urgell A. Malaria Molecular Surveillance in the Peruvian Amazon with a Novel Highly Multiplexed Plasmodium falciparum AmpliSeq Assay. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0096022. [PMID: 36840586 PMCID: PMC10101074 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00960-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular surveillance for malaria has great potential to support national malaria control programs (NMCPs). To bridge the gap between research and implementation, several applications (use cases) have been identified to align research, technology development, and public health efforts. For implementation at NMCPs, there is an urgent need for feasible and cost-effective tools. We designed a new highly multiplexed deep sequencing assay (Pf AmpliSeq), which is compatible with benchtop sequencers, that allows high-accuracy sequencing with higher coverage and lower cost than whole-genome sequencing (WGS), targeting genomic regions of interest. The novelty of the assay is its high number of targets multiplexed into one easy workflow, combining population genetic markers with 13 nearly full-length resistance genes, which is applicable for many different use cases. We provide the first proof of principle for hrp2 and hrp3 deletion detection using amplicon sequencing. Initial sequence data processing can be performed automatically, and subsequent variant analysis requires minimal bioinformatic skills using any tabulated data analysis program. The assay was validated using a retrospective sample collection (n = 254) from the Peruvian Amazon between 2003 and 2018. By combining phenotypic markers and a within-country 28-single-nucleotide-polymorphism (SNP) barcode, we were able to distinguish different lineages with multiple resistance haplotypes (in dhfr, dhps, crt and mdr1) and hrp2 and hrp3 deletions, which have been increasing in recent years. We found no evidence to suggest the emergence of artemisinin (ART) resistance in Peru. These findings indicate a parasite population that is under drug pressure but is susceptible to current antimalarials and demonstrate the added value of a highly multiplexed molecular tool to inform malaria strategies and surveillance systems. IMPORTANCE While the power of next-generation sequencing technologies to inform and guide malaria control programs has become broadly recognized, the integration of genomic data for operational incorporation into malaria surveillance remains a challenge in most countries where malaria is endemic. The main obstacles include limited infrastructure, limited access to high-throughput sequencing facilities, and the need for local capacity to run an in-country analysis of genomes at a large-enough scale to be informative for surveillance. In addition, there is a lack of standardized laboratory protocols and automated analysis pipelines to generate reproducible and timely results useful for relevant stakeholders. With our standardized laboratory and bioinformatic workflow, malaria genetic surveillance data can be readily generated by surveillance researchers and malaria control programs in countries of endemicity, increasing ownership and ensuring timely results for informed decision- and policy-making.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Fernandez-Miñope
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Norbert J. van Dijk
- Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Biomedical Sciences Department, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Lidia Llacsahuanga Allcca
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Pieter Guetens
- Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Biomedical Sciences Department, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Hugo O. Valdivia
- Department of Parasitology, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6), Lima, Peru
| | | | - Eduard Rovira-Vallbona
- Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Biomedical Sciences Department, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Pieter Monsieurs
- Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Biomedical Sciences Department, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christopher Delgado-Ratto
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dionicia Gamboa
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
- Departamento de Ciencias Celulares y Moleculares, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Anna Rosanas-Urgell
- Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Biomedical Sciences Department, Antwerp, Belgium
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21
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Labbé F, He Q, Zhan Q, Tiedje KE, Argyropoulos DC, Tan MH, Ghansah A, Day KP, Pascual M. Neutral vs. non-neutral genetic footprints of Plasmodium falciparum multiclonal infections. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1010816. [PMID: 36595546 PMCID: PMC9838855 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
At a time when effective tools for monitoring malaria control and eradication efforts are crucial, the increasing availability of molecular data motivates their application to epidemiology. The multiplicity of infection (MOI), defined as the number of genetically distinct parasite strains co-infecting a host, is one key epidemiological parameter for evaluating malaria interventions. Estimating MOI remains a challenge for high-transmission settings where individuals typically carry multiple co-occurring infections. Several quantitative approaches have been developed to estimate MOI, including two cost-effective ones relying on molecular data: i) THE REAL McCOIL method is based on putatively neutral single nucleotide polymorphism loci, and ii) the varcoding method is a fingerprinting approach that relies on the diversity and limited repertoire overlap of the var multigene family encoding the major Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage antigen PfEMP1 and is therefore under selection. In this study, we assess the robustness of the MOI estimates generated with these two approaches by simulating P. falciparum malaria dynamics under three transmission conditions using an extension of a previously developed stochastic agent-based model. We demonstrate that these approaches are complementary and best considered across distinct transmission intensities. While varcoding can underestimate MOI, it allows robust estimation, especially under high transmission where repertoire overlap is extremely limited from frequency-dependent selection. In contrast, THE REAL McCOIL often considerably overestimates MOI, but still provides reasonable estimates for low and moderate transmission. Regardless of transmission intensity, results for THE REAL McCOIL indicate that an inaccurate tail at high MOI values is generated, and that at high transmission, an apparently reasonable estimated MOI distribution can arise from some degree of compensation between overestimation and underestimation. As many countries pursue malaria elimination targets, defining the most suitable approach to estimate MOI based on sample size and local transmission intensity is highly recommended for monitoring the impact of intervention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Labbé
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Qixin He
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indianapolis, United States of America
| | - Qi Zhan
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Kathryn E. Tiedje
- School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bio21 Institute and Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Dionne C. Argyropoulos
- School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bio21 Institute and Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mun Hua Tan
- School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bio21 Institute and Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Anita Ghansah
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Karen P. Day
- School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bio21 Institute and Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mercedes Pascual
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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22
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Hastings IM, Felger I. WHO antimalarial trial guidelines: good science, bad news? Trends Parasitol 2022; 38:933-941. [PMID: 36068129 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Estimating antimalarial drug efficacy requires differentiating treatment failures from new infections arising during the several-week follow-up period in drug trials. Genetic profiling of malaria infections can guide this decision but is notoriously difficult in practice. Previous World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines were based on assumptions with an inherently high risk of underestimating failure rates. A recent update to WHO guidelines recognises a wider range of analyses to overcome these limitations. We discuss these new analyses and their underlying logic. Drug failure rate estimates in moderate to high transmissions areas will become more accurate but will likely rise twofold due to better detection of treatment failures, and the malaria community needs to anticipate and prepare for potentially large increases in estimated failure rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian M Hastings
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK.
| | - Ingrid Felger
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
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23
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Mensah BA, Akyea-Bobi NE, Ghansah A. Genomic approaches for monitoring transmission dynamics of malaria: A case for malaria molecular surveillance in Sub-Saharan Africa. FRONTIERS IN EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 2:939291. [PMID: 38455324 PMCID: PMC10911004 DOI: 10.3389/fepid.2022.939291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Transmission dynamics is an important indicator for malaria control and elimination. As we move closer to eliminating malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa (sSA), transmission indices with higher resolution (genomic approaches) will complement our current measurements of transmission. Most of the present programmatic knowledge of malaria transmission patterns are derived from assessments of epidemiologic and clinical data, such as case counts, parasitological estimates of parasite prevalence, and Entomological Inoculation Rates (EIR). However, to eliminate malaria from endemic areas, we need to track changes in the parasite population and how they will impact transmission. This is made possible through the evolving field of genomics and genetics, as well as the development of tools for more in-depth studies on the diversity of parasites and the complexity of infections, among other topics. If malaria elimination is to be achieved globally, country-specific elimination activities should be supported by parasite genomic data from regularly collected blood samples for diagnosis, surveillance and possibly from other programmatic interventions. This presents a unique opportunity to track the spread of malaria parasites and shed additional light on intervention efficacy. In this review, various genetic techniques are highlighted along with their significance for an enhanced understanding of transmission patterns in distinct topological settings throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The importance of these methods and their limitations in malaria surveillance to guide control and elimination strategies, are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedicta A. Mensah
- Department of Epidemiology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Nukunu E. Akyea-Bobi
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Anita Ghansah
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
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24
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Mueller I, Vantaux A, Karl S, Laman M, Witkowski B, Pepey A, Vinit R, White M, Barry A, Beeson JG, Robinson LJ. Asia-Pacific ICEMR: Understanding Malaria Transmission to Accelerate Malaria Elimination in the Asia Pacific Region. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 107:131-137. [PMID: 36228917 PMCID: PMC9662229 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-1336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Gaining an in-depth understanding of malaria transmission requires integrated, multifaceted research approaches. The Asia-Pacific International Center of Excellence in Malaria Research (ICEMR) is applying specifically developed molecular and immunological assays, in-depth entomological assessments, and advanced statistical and mathematical modeling approaches to a rich series of longitudinal cohort and cross-sectional studies in Papua New Guinea and Cambodia. This is revealing both the essential contribution of forest-based transmission and the particular challenges posed by Plasmodium vivax to malaria elimination in Cambodia. In Papua New Guinea, these studies document the complex host-vector-parasite interactions that are underlying both the stunning reductions in malaria burden from 2006 to 2014 and the significant resurgence in transmission in 2016 to 2018. Here we describe the novel analytical, surveillance, molecular, and immunological tools that are being applied in our ongoing Asia-Pacific ICEMR research program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo Mueller
- Population Health & Immunity Division, Walter + Eliza Hall Institutes, Melbourne, Australia;,University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia;,Address correspondence to Ivo Mueller, Population Health & Immunity Division, Walter + Eliza Hall Institutes, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria, Australia 3052. E-mail:
| | | | - Stephan Karl
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia;,PNG Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Moses Laman
- PNG Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | | | - Anais Pepey
- Institute Pasteur Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Rebecca Vinit
- PNG Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | | | - Alyssa Barry
- Deakin University, Geelong, Australia;,Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - James G. Beeson
- University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia;,Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia;,Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Leanne J. Robinson
- Population Health & Immunity Division, Walter + Eliza Hall Institutes, Melbourne, Australia;,PNG Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea;,Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia;,Monash University, Victoria, Australia
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25
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Gerlovina I, Gerlovin B, Rodríguez-Barraquer I, Greenhouse B. Dcifer: an IBD-based method to calculate genetic distance between polyclonal infections. Genetics 2022; 222:6674513. [PMID: 36000888 PMCID: PMC9526043 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
An essential step toward reconstructing pathogen transmission and answering epidemiologically relevant questions from genomic data is obtaining pairwise genetic distance between infections. For recombining organisms such as malaria parasites, relatedness measures quantifying recent shared ancestry would provide a meaningful distance, suggesting methods based on identity by descent (IBD). While the concept of relatedness and consequently an IBD approach is fairly straightforward for individual parasites, the distance between polyclonal infections, which are prevalent in malaria, presents specific challenges, and awaits a general solution that could be applied to infections of any clonality and accommodate multiallelic (e.g. microsatellite or microhaplotype) and biallelic [single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)] data. Filling this methodological gap, we present Dcifer (Distance for complex infections: fast estimation of relatedness), a method for calculating genetic distance between polyclonal infections, which is designed for unphased data, explicitly accounts for population allele frequencies and complexity of infection, and provides reliable inference. Dcifer’s IBD-based framework allows us to define model parameters that represent interhost relatedness and to propose corresponding estimators with attractive statistical properties. By using combinatorics to account for unobserved phased haplotypes, Dcifer is able to quickly process large datasets and estimate pairwise relatedness along with measures of uncertainty. We show that Dcifer delivers accurate and interpretable results and detects related infections with statistical power that is 2–4 times greater than that of approaches based on identity by state. Applications to real data indicate that relatedness structure aligns with geographic locations. Dcifer is implemented in a comprehensive publicly available software package.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna Gerlovina
- EPPIcenter research program, Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Boris Gerlovin
- EPPIcenter research program, Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Isabel Rodríguez-Barraquer
- EPPIcenter research program, Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Bryan Greenhouse
- EPPIcenter research program, Division of HIV, ID and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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26
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Huwe T, Kibria MG, Johora FT, Phru CS, Jahan N, Hossain MS, Khan WA, Price RN, Ley B, Alam MS, Koepfli C. Heterogeneity in prevalence of subclinical Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections but no parasite genomic clustering in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh. Malar J 2022; 21:218. [PMID: 35836171 PMCID: PMC9281141 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04236-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria remains endemic in Bangladesh, with the majority of cases occurring in forested, mountainous region in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). This area is home to Bengali and diverse groups of indigenous people (Pahari) residing largely in mono-ethnic villages. METHODS 1002 individuals of the 9 most prominent Pahari and the Bengali population were randomly selected and screened by RDT and qPCR. Parasites were genotyped by msp2 and deep sequencing of 5 amplicons (ama1-D3, cpmp, cpp, csp, and msp7) for Plasmodium falciparum (n = 20), and by microsatellite (MS) typing of ten loci and amplicon sequencing of msp1 for Plasmodium vivax (n = 21). Population structure was analysed using STRUCTURE software. Identity-by-state (IBS) was calculated as a measure of parasite relatedness and used to generate relatedness networks. RESULTS The prevalence of P. falciparum and P. vivax infection was 0.7% by RDT (P. falciparum 6/1002; P. vivax 0/1002, mixed: 1/1002) and 4% by qPCR (P. falciparum 21/1002; P. vivax 16/1002, mixed: 5/1002). Infections were highly clustered, with 64% (27/42) of infections occurring in only two Pahari groups, the Khumi and Mro. Diversity was high; expected heterozygosity was 0.93 for P. falciparum and 0.81 for P. vivax. 85.7% (18/21) of P. vivax and 25% (5/20) of P. falciparum infections were polyclonal. No population structure was evident for either species, suggesting high transmission and gene flow among Pahari groups. CONCLUSIONS High subclinical infection prevalence and genetic diversity mirror ongoing transmission. Control activities should be specifically directed to Pahari groups at greatest risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Huwe
- Department of Biological Sciences and Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Mohammad Golam Kibria
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (Icddr, B), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Fatema Tuj Johora
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (Icddr, B), Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ching Swe Phru
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (Icddr, B), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Nusrat Jahan
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (Icddr, B), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Sharif Hossain
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (Icddr, B), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Wasif Ali Khan
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (Icddr, B), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Ric N Price
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Benedikt Ley
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia.
| | - Mohammad Shafiul Alam
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh (Icddr, B), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
| | - Cristian Koepfli
- Department of Biological Sciences and Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA.
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27
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Lyimo BM, Popkin-Hall ZR, Giesbrecht DJ, Mandara CI, Madebe RA, Bakari C, Pereus D, Seth MD, Ngamba RM, Mbwambo RB, MacInnis B, Mbwambo D, Garimo I, Chacky F, Aaron S, Lusasi A, Molteni F, Njau R, Cunningham JA, Lazaro S, Mohamed A, Juliano JJ, Bailey J, Ishengoma DS. 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. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:757844. [PMID: 35909968 PMCID: PMC9326448 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.757844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent developments in molecular biology and genomics have revolutionized biology and medicine mainly in the developed world. The application of next generation sequencing (NGS) and CRISPR-Cas tools is now poised to support endemic countries in the detection, monitoring and control of endemic diseases and future epidemics, as well as with emerging and re-emerging pathogens. Most low and middle income countries (LMICs) with the highest burden of infectious diseases still largely lack the capacity to generate and perform bioinformatic analysis of genomic data. These countries have also not deployed tools based on CRISPR-Cas technologies. For LMICs including Tanzania, it is critical to focus not only on the process of generation and analysis of data generated using such tools, but also on the utilization of the findings for policy and decision making. Here we discuss the promise and challenges of NGS and CRISPR-Cas in the context of malaria as Africa moves towards malaria elimination. These innovative tools are urgently needed to strengthen the current diagnostic and surveillance systems. We discuss ongoing efforts to deploy these tools for malaria detection and molecular surveillance highlighting potential opportunities presented by these innovative technologies as well as challenges in adopting them. Their deployment will also offer an opportunity to broadly build in-country capacity in pathogen genomics and bioinformatics, and to effectively engage with multiple stakeholders as well as policy makers, overcoming current workforce and infrastructure challenges. Overall, these ongoing initiatives will build the malaria molecular surveillance capacity of African researchers and their institutions, and allow them to generate genomics data and perform bioinformatics analysis in-country in order to provide critical information that will be used for real-time policy and decision-making to support malaria elimination on the continent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatus M. Lyimo
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- School of Life Sciences and Bio-Engineering, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania
| | | | - David J. Giesbrecht
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for International Health Research, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | | | - Rashid A. Madebe
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Catherine Bakari
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Dativa Pereus
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Misago D. Seth
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | | | - Ruth B. Mbwambo
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Bronwyn MacInnis
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Issa Garimo
- National Malaria Control Programme, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Frank Chacky
- National Malaria Control Programme, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | | | | | | | - Ritha Njau
- World Health Organization, Country Office, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Jane A. Cunningham
- Global Malaria Programme, World Health Organization, Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Samwel Lazaro
- National Malaria Control Programme, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Ally Mohamed
- National Malaria Control Programme, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Jonathan J. Juliano
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jeffrey A. Bailey
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Center for International Health Research, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Deus S. Ishengoma
- National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Genetic Diversity of Plasmodium falciparum and Distribution of Antimalarial Drug Resistance Mutations in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Infections. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0018822. [DOI: 10.1128/aac.00188-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria control relies on passive case detection, and this strategy fails detecting asymptomatic infections. In addition, infections in endemic areas harbor multiple parasite genotypes that could affect case management and malaria epidemiology.
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Wamae K, Kimenyi KM, Osoti V, de Laurent ZR, Ndwiga L, Kharabora O, Hathaway NJ, Bailey JA, Juliano JJ, Bejon P, Ochola-Oyier LI. Amplicon sequencing as a potential surveillance tool for complexity of infection and drug resistance markers in Plasmodium falciparum asymptomatic infections. J Infect Dis 2022; 226:920-927. [PMID: 35429395 PMCID: PMC7613600 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiac144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Genotyping Plasmodium falciparum subpopulations in malaria infections is an important aspect of malaria molecular epidemiology to understand within-host diversity and the frequency of drug resistance markers. Methods We characterized P. falciparum genetic diversity in asymptomatic infections and subsequent first febrile infections using amplicon sequencing (AmpSeq) of ama1 in Coastal Kenya. We also examined temporal changes in haplotype frequencies of mdr1, a drug-resistant marker. Results We found >60% of the infections were polyclonal (complexity of infection [COI] >1) and there was a reduction in COI over time. Asymptomatic infections had a significantly higher mean COI than febrile infections based on ama1 sequences (2.7 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.65–2.77] vs 2.22 [95% CI, 2.17–2.29], respectively). Moreover, an analysis of 30 paired asymptomatic and first febrile infections revealed that many first febrile infections (91%) were due to the presence of new ama1 haplotypes. The mdr1-YY haplotype, associated with chloroquine and amodiaquine resistance, decreased over time, while the NY (wild type) and the NF (modulates response to lumefantrine) haplotypes increased. Conclusions This study emphasizes the utility of AmpSeq in characterizing parasite diversity as it can determine relative proportions of clones and detect minority clones. The usefulness of AmpSeq in antimalarial drug resistance surveillance is also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Wamae
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Kelvin M. Kimenyi
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Victor Osoti
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | | | | | - Oksana Kharabora
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Hathaway
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Bailey
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Jonathan J. Juliano
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Philip Bejon
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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30
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Paoletta MS, Wilkowsky SE. Thrombospondin Related Anonymous Protein Superfamily in Vector-Borne Apicomplexans: The Parasite’s Toolkit for Cell Invasion. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:831592. [PMID: 35463644 PMCID: PMC9019593 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.831592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites transmitted by vectors, including Babesia spp. and Plasmodium spp., cause severe disease in both humans and animals. These parasites have a complex life cycle during which they migrate, invade, and replicate in contrasting hosts such as the mammal and the invertebrate vector. The interaction of parasites with the host cell is mediated by adhesive proteins which play a key role in the different cellular processes regarding successful progression of the life cycle. Thrombospondin related anonymous protein (TRAP) is a superfamily of adhesins that are involved in motility, invasion and egress of the parasite. These proteins are stored and released from apical organelles and have either one or two types of adhesive domains, namely thrombospondin type 1 repeat and von Willebrand factor type A, that upon secretion are located in the extracellular portion of the molecule. Proteins from the TRAP superfamily have been intensively studied in Plasmodium species and to a lesser extent in Babesia spp., where they have proven to be functionally relevant throughout the entire parasite’s journey both in the arthropod vector and in the mammalian host. In recent years new findings provided answers to the role of TRAP proteins and in some cases the function of these adhesins during the parasite’s life cycle was redefined. In this review we will discuss the current knowledge of the diverse roles of the TRAP superfamily in vector-borne parasites from Class Aconoidasida. We will focus on the varied approaches that allowed the understanding of protein function and the relevance of TRAP- superfamily throughout the entire parasite’s cell cycle.
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31
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Collins KA, Ceesay S, Drammeh S, Jaiteh FK, Guery MA, Lanke K, Grignard L, Stone W, Conway DJ, D'Alessandro U, Bousema T, Claessens A. A cohort study on the duration of Plasmodium falciparum infections during the dry season in The Gambia. J Infect Dis 2022; 226:128-137. [PMID: 35380684 PMCID: PMC9373158 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiac116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In areas where Plasmodium falciparum malaria is seasonal, a dry season reservoir of blood-stage infection is essential for initiating transmission during the following wet season. Methods In The Gambia, a cohort of 42 individuals with quantitative polymerase chain reaction-positive P falciparum infections at the end of the transmission season (December) were followed monthly until the end of the dry season (May) to evaluate infection persistence. The influence of human host and parasitological factors was investigated. Results A large proportion of individuals infected at the end of the wet season had detectable infections until the end of the dry season (40.0%; 16 of 40). At the start of the dry season, the majority of these persistent infections (82%) had parasite densities >10 p/µL compared to only 5.9% of short-lived infections. Persistent infections (59%) were also more likely to be multiclonal than short-lived infections (5.9%) and were associated with individuals having higher levels of P falciparum-specific antibodies (P = .02). Conclusions Asymptomatic persistent infections were multiclonal with higher parasite densities at the beginning of the dry season. Screening and treating asymptomatic infections during the dry season may reduce the human reservoir of malaria responsible for initiating transmission in the wet season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine A Collins
- Radboud university medical center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Medical Microbiology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sukai Ceesay
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Sainabou Drammeh
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Fatou K Jaiteh
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Marc-Antoine Guery
- LPHI, MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Kjerstin Lanke
- Radboud university medical center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Medical Microbiology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lynn Grignard
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Will Stone
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - David J Conway
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Umberto D'Alessandro
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Teun Bousema
- Radboud university medical center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Medical Microbiology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Antoine Claessens
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia.,LPHI, MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
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32
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Kunasol C, Dondorp AM, Batty EM, Nakhonsri V, Sinjanakhom P, Day NPJ, Imwong M. Comparative analysis of targeted next-generation sequencing for Plasmodium falciparum drug resistance markers. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5563. [PMID: 35365711 PMCID: PMC8974807 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09474-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Well-defined molecular resistance markers are available for a range of antimalarial drugs, and molecular surveillance is increasingly important for monitoring antimalarial drug resistance. Different genotyping platforms are available, but these have not been compared in detail. We compared Targeted Amplicon Deep sequencing (TADs) using Ion Torrent PGM with Illumina MiSeq for the typing of antimalarial drug resistance genes. We developed and validated protocols to type the molecular resistance markers pfcrt, pfdhfr, pfdhps, pfmdr1, pfkelch, and pfcytochrome b, in Plasmodium falciparum for the Ion Torrent PGM and Illumina MiSeq sequencing platforms. With P. falciparum 3D7 and K1 as reference strains, whole blood samples (N = 20) and blood spots from Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) samples (N = 5) from patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria from Ubon Ratchathani were assessed on both platforms and compared for coverage (average reads per amplicon), sequencing accuracy, variant accuracy, false positive rate, false negative rate, and alternative allele detection, with conventional Sanger sequencing as the reference method for SNP calling. Both whole blood and RDT samples could be successfully sequenced using the Ion Torrent PGM and Illumina MiSeq platforms. Coverage of reads per amplicon was higher with Illumina MiSeq (28,886 reads) than with Ion Torrent PGM (1754 reads). In laboratory generated artificial mixed infections, the two platforms could detect the minor allele down to 1% density at 500X coverage. SNPs calls from both platforms were in complete agreement with conventional Sanger sequencing. The methods can be multiplexed with up to 96 samples per run, which reduces cost by 86% compared to conventional Sanger sequencing. Both platforms, using the developed TAD protocols, provide an accurate method for molecular surveillance of drug resistance markers in P. falciparum, but Illumina MiSeq provides higher coverage than Ion Torrent PGM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanon Kunasol
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Rajvithi Rd., Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Arjen M Dondorp
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Elizabeth M Batty
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Vorthunju Nakhonsri
- National Biobank of Thailand (NBT), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 144 Innovation Cluster 2 Building (INC) Tower A, Thailand Science Park, Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang District, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Puritat Sinjanakhom
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Rajvithi Rd., Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Nicholas P J Day
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mallika Imwong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Rajvithi Rd., Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Castañeda-Mogollón D, Kamaliddin C, Fine L, Oberding LK, Pillai DR. SARS-CoV-2 variant detection with ADSSpike. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2022; 102:115606. [PMID: 34963097 PMCID: PMC8608664 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2021.115606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic has been an unprecedented challenge to global pandemic response and preparedness. With the continuous appearance of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, it is imperative to implement tools for genomic surveillance and diagnosis in order to decrease viral transmission and prevalence. The ADSSpike workflow was developed with the goal of identifying signature SNPs from the S gene associated with SARS-CoV-2 variants through amplicon deep sequencing. Seventy-two samples were sequenced, and 30 mutations were identified. Among those, signature SNPs were linked to 2 Zeta-VOI (P.2) samples and one to the Alpha-VOC (B.1.17). An average depth of 700 reads was found to properlycorrectly identify all SNPs and deletions pertinent to SARS-CoV-2 mutants. ADSSpike is the first workflow to provide a practical, cost-effective, and scalable solution to diagnose SARS-CoV-2 VOC/VOI in the clinical laboratory, adding a valuable tool to public health measures to fight the COVID-19 pandemic for approximately $41.85 USD/reaction.
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Louha S, Herman C, Gupta M, Patel D, Kelley J, OH JHM, Guru J, Lemoine JF, Chang MA, Venkatachalam U, Rogier E, Talundzic E. Evaluation of a parasite-density based pooled targeted amplicon deep sequencing (TADS) method for molecular surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum drug resistance genes in Haiti. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262616. [PMID: 35030215 PMCID: PMC8759662 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Sequencing large numbers of individual samples is often needed for countrywide antimalarial drug resistance surveillance. Pooling DNA from several individual samples is an alternative cost and time saving approach for providing allele frequency (AF) estimates at a population level. Using 100 individual patient DNA samples of dried blood spots from a 2017 nationwide drug resistance surveillance study in Haiti, we compared codon coverage of drug resistance-conferring mutations in four Plasmodium falciparum genes (crt, dhps, dhfr, and mdr1), for the same deep sequenced samples run individually and pooled. Samples with similar real-time PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values (+/- 1.0 Ct value) were combined with ten samples per pool. The sequencing success for samples in pools were higher at a lower parasite density than the individual samples sequence method. The median codon coverage for drug resistance-associated mutations in all four genes were greater than 3-fold higher in the pooled samples than in individual samples. The overall codon coverage distribution for pooled samples was wider than the individual samples. The sample pools with < 40 parasites/μL blood showed more discordance in AF calls for dhfr and mdr1 between the individual and pooled samples. This discordance in AF estimation may be due to low amounts of parasite DNA, which could lead to variable PCR amplification efficiencies. Grouping samples with an estimated ≥ 40 parasites/μL blood prior to pooling and deep sequencing yielded the expected population level AF. Pooling DNA samples based on estimates of > 40 parasites/μL prior to deep sequencing can be used for rapid genotyping of a large number of samples for these four genes and possibly other drug resistant markers in population-based studies. As Haiti is a low malaria transmission country with very few mixed infections and continued chloroquine sensitivity, the pooled sequencing approach can be used for routine national molecular surveillance of resistant parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swarnali Louha
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Camelia Herman
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, Atlanta, GA, United States America
| | - Mansi Gupta
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America
| | - Dhruviben Patel
- Williams Consulting LLC, Atlanta, GA, United States America
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Malaria Branch, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States America
| | - Julia Kelley
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, Atlanta, GA, United States America
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Malaria Branch, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States America
| | - Je-Hoon M. OH
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America
| | - Janani Guru
- The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States America
| | - Jean F. Lemoine
- Programme National de Contrôle de la Malaria, MSPP, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
| | - Michelle A. Chang
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Malaria Branch, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States America
| | - Udhayakumar Venkatachalam
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Malaria Branch, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States America
| | - Eric Rogier
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Malaria Branch, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States America
| | - Eldin Talundzic
- Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Malaria Branch, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States America
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Makunin A, Korlević P, Park N, Goodwin S, Waterhouse RM, von Wyschetzki K, Jacob CG, Davies R, Kwiatkowski D, St Laurent B, Ayala D, Lawniczak MKN. A targeted amplicon sequencing panel to simultaneously identify mosquito species and Plasmodium presence across the entire Anopheles genus. Mol Ecol Resour 2022; 22:28-44. [PMID: 34053186 PMCID: PMC7612955 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Anopheles is a diverse genus of mosquitoes comprising over 500 described species, including all known human malaria vectors. While a limited number of key vector species have been studied in detail, the goal of malaria elimination calls for surveillance of all potential vector species. Here, we develop a multilocus amplicon sequencing approach that targets 62 highly variable loci in the Anopheles genome and two conserved loci in the Plasmodium mitochondrion, simultaneously revealing both the mosquito species and whether that mosquito carries malaria parasites. We also develop a cheap, nondestructive, and high-throughput DNA extraction workflow that provides template DNA from single mosquitoes for the multiplex PCR, which means specimens producing unexpected results can be returned to for morphological examination. Over 1000 individual mosquitoes can be sequenced in a single MiSeq run, and we demonstrate the panel's power to assign species identity using sequencing data for 40 species from Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America. We also show that the approach can be used to resolve geographic population structure within An. gambiae and An. coluzzii populations, as the population structure determined based on these 62 loci from over 1000 mosquitoes closely mirrors that revealed through whole genome sequencing. The end-to-end approach is quick, inexpensive, robust, and accurate, which makes it a promising technique for very large-scale mosquito genetic surveillance and vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Makunin
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Petra Korlević
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Naomi Park
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Robert M Waterhouse
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Diego Ayala
- MIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
- CIRMF, Franceville, Gabon
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Huber JH, Koepfli C, España G, Nekkab N, White MT, Alex Perkins T. How radical is radical cure? Site-specific biases in clinical trials underestimate the effect of radical cure on Plasmodium vivax hypnozoites. Malar J 2021; 20:479. [PMID: 34930278 PMCID: PMC8686294 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-04017-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plasmodium vivax blood-stage relapses originating from re-activating hypnozoites are a major barrier for control and elimination of this disease. Radical cure is a form of therapy capable of addressing this problem. Recent clinical trials of radical cure have yielded efficacy estimates ranging from 65 to 94%, with substantial variation across trial sites. METHODS An analysis of simulated trial data using a transmission model was performed to demonstrate that variation in efficacy estimates across trial sites can arise from differences in the conditions under which trials are conducted. RESULTS The analysis revealed that differences in transmission intensity, heterogeneous exposure and relapse rate can yield efficacy estimates ranging as widely as 12-78%, despite simulating trial data under the uniform assumption that treatment had a 75% chance of clearing hypnozoites. A longer duration of prophylaxis leads to a greater measured efficacy, particularly at higher transmission intensities, making the comparison between the protection of different radical cure treatment regimens against relapse more challenging. Simulations show that vector control and parasite genotyping offer two potential means to yield more standardized efficacy estimates that better reflect prevention of relapse. CONCLUSIONS Site-specific biases are likely to contribute to variation in efficacy estimates both within and across clinical trials. Future clinical trials can reduce site-specific biases by conducting trials in low-transmission settings where re-infections from mosquito bite are less common, by preventing re-infections using vector control measures, or by identifying and excluding likely re-infections that occur during follow-up, by using parasite genotyping methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Huber
- Department of Biological Sciences and Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
| | - Cristian Koepfli
- Department of Biological Sciences and Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Guido España
- Department of Biological Sciences and Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Narimane Nekkab
- Unité Malaria: Parasites et Hôtes, Département Parasites et Insectes Vecteur, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Michael T White
- Unité Malaria: Parasites et Hôtes, Département Parasites et Insectes Vecteur, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - T Alex Perkins
- Department of Biological Sciences and Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
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Ndiaye YD, Hartl DL, McGregor D, Badiane A, Fall FB, Daniels RF, Wirth DF, Ndiaye D, Volkman SK. Genetic surveillance for monitoring the impact of drug use on Plasmodium falciparum populations. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2021; 17:12-22. [PMID: 34333350 PMCID: PMC8342550 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The use of antimalarial drugs is an effective strategy in the fight against malaria. However, selection of drug resistant parasites is a constant threat to the continued use of this approach. Antimalarial drugs are used not only to treat infections but also as part of population-level strategies to reduce malaria transmission toward elimination. While there is strong evidence that the ongoing use of antimalarial drugs increases the risk of the emergence and spread of drug-resistant parasites, it is less clear how population-level use of drug-based interventions like seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) or mass drug administration (MDA) may contribute to drug resistance or loss of drug efficacy. Critical to sustained use of drug-based strategies for reducing the burden of malaria is the surveillance of population-level signals related to transmission reduction and resistance selection. Here we focus on Plasmodium falciparum and discuss the genetic signatures of a parasite population that are correlated with changes in transmission and related to drug pressure and resistance as a result of drug use. We review the evidence for MDA and SMC contributing to malaria burden reduction and drug resistance selection and examine the use and impact of these interventions in Senegal. Throughout we consider best strategies for ongoing surveillance of both population and resistance signals in the context of different parasite population parameters. Finally, we propose a roadmap for ongoing surveillance during population-level drug-based interventions to reduce the global malaria burden.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David McGregor
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | - Fatou Ba Fall
- Programme National de Lutte Contre le Paludisme, Senegal.
| | - Rachel F Daniels
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Dyann F Wirth
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | | | - Sarah K Volkman
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; The Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA; Simmons University, Boston, MA, USA.
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Comparative Analysis of Plasmodium falciparum Genotyping via SNP Detection, Microsatellite Profiling, and Whole-Genome Sequencing. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 66:e0116321. [PMID: 34694871 PMCID: PMC8765236 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01163-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Research efforts to combat antimalarial drug resistance rely on quick, robust, and sensitive methods to genetically characterize Plasmodium falciparum parasites. We developed a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based genotyping method that can assess 33 drug resistance-conferring SNPs in dhfr, dhps, pfmdr1, pfcrt, and k13 in nine PCRs, performed directly from P. falciparum cultures or infected blood. We also optimized multiplexed fragment analysis and gel electrophoresis-based microsatellite typing methods using a set of five markers that can distinguish 12 laboratory strains of diverse geographical and temporal origin. We demonstrate how these methods can be applied to screen for the multidrug-resistant KEL1/PLA1/PfPailin (KelPP) lineage that has been sweeping across the Greater Mekong Subregion, verify parasite in vitro SNP-editing, identify novel recombinant genetic cross progeny, or cluster strains to infer their geographical origins. Results were compared with Illumina-based whole-genome sequence analysis that provides the most detailed sequence information but is cost-prohibitive. These adaptable, simple, and inexpensive methods can be easily implemented into routine genotyping of P. falciparum parasites in both laboratory and field settings.
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He X, Zhong D, Zou C, Pi L, Zhao L, Qin Y, Pan M, Wang S, Zeng W, Xiang Z, Chen X, Wu Y, Si Y, Cui L, Huang Y, Yan G, Yang Z. Unraveling the Complexity of Imported Malaria Infections by Amplicon Deep Sequencing. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:725859. [PMID: 34595134 PMCID: PMC8477663 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.725859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Imported malaria and recurrent infections are becoming an emerging issue in many malaria non-endemic countries. This study aimed to determine the molecular patterns of the imported malaria infections and recurrence. Blood samples were collected from patients with imported malaria infections during 2016-2018 in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Next-generation amplicon deep-sequencing approaches were used to assess parasite genetic diversity, multiplexity of infection, relapse, recrudescence, and antimalarial drug resistance. A total of 44 imported malaria cases were examined during the study, of which 35 (79.5%) had recurrent malaria infections within 1 year. The majority (91.4%) had one recurrent malaria episode, whereas two patients had two recurrences and one patient had three recurrences. A total of 19 recurrence patterns (the species responsible for primary and successive clinical episodes) were found in patients returning from malaria epidemic countries. Four parasite species were detected with a higher than usual proportion (46.2%) of non-falciparum infections or mixed-species infections. An increasing trend of recurrence infections and reduced drug treatment efficacy were observed among the cases of imported malaria. The high recurrence rate and complex patterns of imported malaria from Africa to non-endemic countries have the potential to initiate local transmission, thereby undermining efforts to eliminate locally acquired malaria. Our findings highlight the power of amplicon deep-sequencing applications in molecular epidemiological studies of the imported malaria recurrences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi He
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Daibin Zhong
- Program in Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Chunyan Zou
- Department of Electrocardiogram, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People’s Hospital, Nanning, China
| | - Liang Pi
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Luyi Zhao
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Yucheng Qin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanglin County People’s Hospital, Shanglin, China
| | - Maohua Pan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanglin County People’s Hospital, Shanglin, China
| | - Siqi Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Weiling Zeng
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Zheng Xiang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Yanrui Wu
- Department of Cell Biology & Genetics, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Yu Si
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Yaming Huang
- Department of Protozoa, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Nanning, China
| | - Guiyun Yan
- Program in Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Zhaoqing Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
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Hammoud C, Mulero S, Van Bocxlaer B, Boissier J, Verschuren D, Albrecht C, Huyse T. Simultaneous genotyping of snails and infecting trematode parasites using high-throughput amplicon sequencing. Mol Ecol Resour 2021; 22:567-586. [PMID: 34435445 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Several methodological issues currently hamper the study of entire trematode communities within populations of their intermediate snail hosts. Here we develop a new workflow using high-throughput amplicon sequencing to simultaneously genotype snail hosts and their infecting trematode parasites. We designed primers to amplify four snail and five trematode markers in a single multiplex PCR. While also applicable to other genera, we focused on medically and economically important snail genera within the superorder Hygrophila and targeted a broad taxonomic range of parasites within the class Trematoda. We tested the workflow using 417 Biomphalaria glabrata specimens experimentally infected with Schistosoma rodhaini, two strains of Schistosoma mansoni and combinations thereof. We evaluated the reliability of infection diagnostics, the robustness of the workflow, its specificity related to host and parasite identification, and the sensitivity to detect co-infections, immature infections and changes of parasite biomass during the infection process. Finally, we investigated its applicability in wild-caught snails of other genera naturally infected with a diverse range of trematodes. After stringent quality control the workflow allows the identification of snails to species level, and of trematodes to taxonomic levels ranging from family to strain. It is sensitive to detect immature infections and changes in parasite biomass described in previous experimental studies. Co-infections were successfully identified, opening the possibility to examine parasite-parasite interactions such as interspecific competition. Together, these results demonstrate that our workflow provides a powerful tool to analyse the processes shaping trematode communities within natural snail populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Hammoud
- Limnology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium.,Department of Biology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Stephen Mulero
- IHPE, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, Univ. Perpignan Via Domitia, IFREMER, Perpignan, France
| | - Bert Van Bocxlaer
- Limnology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium.,Univ. Lille, UMR 8198 Evo-Eco-Paleo, CNRS, Lille, France
| | - Jérôme Boissier
- IHPE, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, Univ. Perpignan Via Domitia, IFREMER, Perpignan, France
| | - Dirk Verschuren
- Limnology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Christian Albrecht
- Systematics & Biodiversity Lab, Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tine Huyse
- Department of Biology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium.,Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Should deep-sequenced amplicons become the new gold-standard for analysing malaria drug clinical trials? Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:e0043721. [PMID: 34252299 PMCID: PMC8448141 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00437-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory clinical trials are required to ensure the continued supply and deployment of effective antimalarial drugs. Patient follow-up in such trials typically lasts several weeks, as the drugs have long half-lives and new infections often occur during this period. “Molecular correction” is therefore used to distinguish drug failures from new infections. The current WHO-recommended method for molecular correction uses length-polymorphic alleles at highly diverse loci but is inherently poor at detecting low-density clones in polyclonal infections. This likely leads to substantial underestimates of failure rates, delaying the replacement of failing drugs with potentially lethal consequences. Deep-sequenced amplicons (AmpSeq) substantially increase the detectability of low-density clones and may offer a new “gold standard” for molecular correction. Pharmacological simulation of clinical trials was used to evaluate the suitability of AmpSeq for molecular correction. We investigated the impact of factors such as the number of amplicon loci analyzed, the informatics criteria used to distinguish genotyping “noise” from real low-density signals, the local epidemiology of malaria transmission, and the potential impact of genetic signals from gametocytes. AmpSeq greatly improved molecular correction and provided accurate drug failure rate estimates. The use of 3 to 5 amplicons was sufficient, and simple, nonstatistical criteria could be used to classify recurrent infections as drug failures or new infections. These results suggest AmpSeq is strongly placed to become the new standard for molecular correction in regulatory trials, with potential extension into routine surveillance once the requisite technical support becomes established.
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Lopez L, Koepfli C. Systematic review of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax polyclonal infections: Impact of prevalence, study population characteristics, and laboratory procedures. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249382. [PMID: 34115783 PMCID: PMC8195386 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple infections of genetically distinct clones of the same Plasmodium species are common in many malaria endemic settings. Mean multiplicity of infection (MOI) and the proportion of polyclonal infections are often reported as surrogate marker of transmission intensity, yet the relationship with traditional measures such as parasite prevalence is not well understood. We have searched Pubmed for articles on P. falciparum and P. vivax multiplicity, and compared the proportion of polyclonal infections and mean MOI to population prevalence. The impact of the genotyping method, number of genotyping markers, method for diagnosis (microscopy/RDT vs. PCR), presence of clinical symptoms, age, geographic region, and year of sample collection on multiplicity indices were assessed. For P. falciparum, 153 studies met inclusion criteria, yielding 275 individual data points and 33,526 genotyped individuals. The proportion of polyclonal infections ranged from 0-96%, and mean MOI from 1-6.1. For P. vivax, 54 studies met inclusion criteria, yielding 115 data points and 13,325 genotyped individuals. The proportion of polyclonal infections ranged from 0-100%, and mean MOI from 1-3.8. For both species, the proportion of polyclonal infections ranged from very low to close to 100% at low prevalence, while at high prevalence it was always high. Each percentage point increase in prevalence resulted in a 0.34% increase in the proportion of polyclonal P. falciparum infections (P<0.001), and a 0.78% increase in the proportion of polyclonal P. vivax infections (P<0.001). In multivariable analysis, higher prevalence, typing multiple markers, diagnosis of infections by PCR, and sampling in Africa were found to result in a higher proportion of P. falciparum polyclonal infections. For P. vivax, prevalence, year of study, typing multiple markers, and geographic region were significant predictors. In conclusion, polyclonal infections are frequently present in all settings, but the association between multiplicity and prevalence is weak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Lopez
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States of America
| | - Cristian Koepfli
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States of America
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States of America
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Amoah LE, Abukari Z, Dawson-Amoah ME, Dieng CC, Lo E, Afrane YA. Population structure and diversity of Plasmodium falciparum in children with asymptomatic malaria living in different ecological zones of Ghana. BMC Infect Dis 2021; 21:439. [PMID: 33985447 PMCID: PMC8120845 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06120-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic 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. METHODS A 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. RESULTS Out 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. CONCLUSION A 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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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Eva Amoah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- West Africa Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Zakaria Abukari
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Maame Esi Dawson-Amoah
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Cheikh Cambel Dieng
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC 28223 USA
| | - Eugenia Lo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC 28223 USA
| | - Yaw Asare Afrane
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
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Da Veiga Leal S, Ward D, Campino S, Benavente ED, Ibrahim A, Claret T, Isaías V, Monteiro D, Clark TG, Gonçalves L, Valdez T, da Luz Lima Mendonça M, Silveira H, Nogueira F. Drug resistance profile and clonality of Plasmodium falciparum parasites in Cape Verde: the 2017 malaria outbreak. Malar J 2021; 20:172. [PMID: 33789667 PMCID: PMC8011132 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03708-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cape Verde is an archipelago located off the West African coast and is in a pre-elimination phase of malaria control. Since 2010, fewer than 20 Plasmodium falciparum malaria cases have been reported annually, except in 2017, when an outbreak in Praia before the rainy season led to 423 autochthonous cases. It is important to understand the genetic diversity of circulating P. falciparum to inform on drug resistance, potential transmission networks and sources of infection, including parasite importation. METHODS Enrolled subjects involved malaria patients admitted to Dr Agostinho Neto Hospital at Praia city, Santiago island, Cape Verde, between July and October 2017. Neighbours and family members of enrolled cases were assessed for the presence of anti-P. falciparum antibodies. Sanger sequencing and real-time PCR was used to identify SNPs in genes associated with drug resistance (e.g., pfdhfr, pfdhps, pfmdr1, pfk13, pfcrt), and whole genome sequencing data were generated to investigate the population structure of P. falciparum parasites. RESULTS The study analysed 190 parasite samples, 187 indigenous and 3 from imported infections. Malaria cases were distributed throughout Praia city. There were no cases of severe malaria and all patients had an adequate clinical and parasitological response after treatment. Anti-P. falciparum antibodies were not detected in the 137 neighbours and family members tested. No mutations were detected in pfdhps. The triple mutation S108N/N51I/C59R in pfdhfr and the chloroquine-resistant CVIET haplotype in the pfcrt gene were detected in almost all samples. Variations in pfk13 were identified in only one sample (R645T, E668K). The haplotype NFD for pfmdr1 was detected in the majority of samples (89.7%). CONCLUSIONS Polymorphisms in pfk13 associated with artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) tolerance in Southeast Asia were not detected, but the majority of the tested samples carried the pfmdr1 haplotype NFD and anti-malarial-associated mutations in the the pfcrt and pfdhfr genes. The first whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed for Cape Verdean parasites that showed that the samples cluster together, have a very high level of similarity and are close to other parasites populations from West Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvania Da Veiga Leal
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Largo Do Desastre da Assistência, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Pública, Chã de Areia, Praia 719, Cape Verde.
| | - Daniel Ward
- Department of Infection and Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Susana Campino
- Department of Infection and Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Ernest Diez Benavente
- Department of Infection and Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Amy Ibrahim
- Department of Infection and Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Tânia Claret
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Varela Isaías
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Largo Do Desastre da Assistência, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Pública, Chã de Areia, Praia 719, Cape Verde
| | - Davidson Monteiro
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Largo Do Desastre da Assistência, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Pública, Chã de Areia, Praia 719, Cape Verde
| | - Taane G Clark
- Department of Infection and Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene E Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, UNL, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Luzia Gonçalves
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene E Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, UNL, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal
- Centro de Estatística E Aplicações da Universidade de Lisboa (CEAUL), Campo Grande, Bloco C6, Piso 4, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Tomas Valdez
- Ministério da Saúde E da Segurança, Palácio Do Governo, nº47, Praia, Cape Verde
| | - Maria da Luz Lima Mendonça
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Largo Do Desastre da Assistência, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Pública, Chã de Areia, Praia 719, Cape Verde
| | - Henrique Silveira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene E Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, UNL, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Fatima Nogueira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene E Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, UNL, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal
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Ippolito MM, Moser KA, Kabuya JBB, Cunningham C, Juliano JJ. Antimalarial Drug Resistance and Implications for the WHO Global Technical Strategy. CURR EPIDEMIOL REP 2021; 8:46-62. [PMID: 33747712 PMCID: PMC7955901 DOI: 10.1007/s40471-021-00266-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Five years have passed since the World Health Organization released its Global Technical Strategy for Malaria (GTS). In that time, progress against malaria has plateaued. This review focuses on the implications of antimalarial drug resistance for the GTS and how interim progress in parasite genomics and antimalarial pharmacology offer a bulwark against it. RECENT FINDINGS For the first time, drug resistance-conferring genes have been identified and validated before their global expansion in malaria parasite populations. More efficient methods for their detection and elaboration have been developed, although low-density infections and polyclonality remain a nuisance to be solved. Clinical trials of alternative regimens for multidrug-resistant malaria have delivered promising results. New agents continue down the development pipeline, while a nascent infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa for conducting phase I trials and trials of transmission-blocking agents has come to fruition after years of preparation. SUMMARY These and other developments can help inform the GTS as the world looks ahead to the next two decades of its implementation. To remain ahead of the threat that drug resistance poses, wider application of genomic-based surveillance and optimization of existing and forthcoming antimalarial drugs are essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M. Ippolito
- Divisions of Clinical Pharmacology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
- The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Kara A. Moser
- Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | | | - Clark Cunningham
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Jonathan J. Juliano
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, CB#7030, 130 Mason Farm Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
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Mitchell RM, Zhou Z, Sheth M, Sergent S, Frace M, Nayak V, Hu B, Gimnig J, Ter Kuile F, Lindblade K, Slutsker L, Hamel MJ, Desai M, Otieno K, Kariuki S, Vigfusson Y, Shi YP. Development of a new barcode-based, multiplex-PCR, next-generation-sequencing assay and data processing and analytical pipeline for multiplicity of infection detection of Plasmodium falciparum. Malar J 2021; 20:92. [PMID: 33593329 PMCID: PMC7885407 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03624-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Simultaneous infection with multiple malaria parasite strains is common in high transmission areas. Quantifying the number of strains per host, or the multiplicity of infection (MOI), provides additional parasite indices for assessing transmission levels but it is challenging to measure accurately with current tools. This paper presents new laboratory and analytical methods for estimating the MOI of Plasmodium falciparum. METHODS Based on 24 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously identified as stable, unlinked targets across 12 of the 14 chromosomes within P. falciparum genome, three multiplex PCRs of short target regions and subsequent next generation sequencing (NGS) of the amplicons were developed. A bioinformatics pipeline including B4Screening pathway removed spurious amplicons to ensure consistent frequency calls at each SNP location, compiled amplicons by SNP site diversity, and performed algorithmic haplotype and strain reconstruction. The pipeline was validated by 108 samples generated from cultured-laboratory strain mixtures in different proportions and concentrations, with and without pre-amplification, and using whole blood and dried blood spots (DBS). The pipeline was applied to 273 smear-positive samples from surveys conducted in western Kenya, then providing results into StrainRecon Thresholding for Infection Multiplicity (STIM), a novel MOI estimator. RESULTS The 24 barcode SNPs were successfully identified uniformly across the 12 chromosomes of P. falciparum in a sample using the pipeline. Pre-amplification and parasite concentration, while non-linearly associated with SNP read depth, did not influence the SNP frequency calls. Based on consistent SNP frequency calls at targeted locations, the algorithmic strain reconstruction for each laboratory-mixed sample had 98.5% accuracy in dominant strains. STIM detected up to 5 strains in field samples from western Kenya and showed declining MOI over time (q < 0.02), from 4.32 strains per infected person in 1996 to 4.01, 3.56 and 3.35 in 2001, 2007 and 2012, and a reduction in the proportion of samples with 5 strains from 57% in 1996 to 18% in 2012. CONCLUSION The combined approach of new multiplex PCRs and NGS, the unique bioinformatics pipeline and STIM could identify 24 barcode SNPs of P. falciparum correctly and consistently. The methodology could be applied to field samples to reliably measure temporal changes in MOI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Mitchell
- Division of Parasitic Diseases, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
- School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Zhiyong Zhou
- Division of Parasitic Diseases, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA
| | - Mili Sheth
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, CDC, Atlanta, USA
| | - Sheila Sergent
- Division of Parasitic Diseases, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA
| | - Michael Frace
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, CDC, Atlanta, USA
| | - Vishal Nayak
- Office of Infectious Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, USA
| | - Bin Hu
- Office of Infectious Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, USA
| | - John Gimnig
- Division of Parasitic Diseases, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA
| | | | - Kim Lindblade
- Division of Parasitic Diseases, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA
| | - Laurence Slutsker
- Division of Parasitic Diseases, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA
| | - Mary J Hamel
- Division of Parasitic Diseases, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA
| | - Meghna Desai
- Division of Parasitic Diseases, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA
| | - Kephas Otieno
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Simon Kariuki
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Ymir Vigfusson
- Department of Computer Science, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.
| | - Ya Ping Shi
- Division of Parasitic Diseases, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA.
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Briggs J, Kuchta A, Murphy M, Tessema S, Arinaitwe E, Rek J, Chen A, Nankabirwa JI, Drakeley C, Smith D, Bousema T, Kamya M, Rodriguez-Barraquer I, Staedke S, Dorsey G, Rosenthal PJ, Greenhouse B. Within-household clustering of genetically related Plasmodium falciparum infections in a moderate transmission area of Uganda. Malar J 2021; 20:68. [PMID: 33531029 PMCID: PMC8042884 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03603-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evaluation of genetic relatedness of malaria parasites is a useful tool for understanding transmission patterns, but patterns are not easily detectable in areas with moderate to high malaria transmission. To evaluate the feasibility of detecting genetic relatedness in a moderate malaria transmission setting, relatedness of Plasmodium falciparum infections was measured in cohort participants from randomly selected households in the Kihihi sub-county of Uganda (annual entomological inoculation rate of 27 infectious bites per person). METHODS All infections detected via microscopy or Plasmodium-specific loop mediated isothermal amplification from passive and active case detection during August 2011-March 2012 were genotyped at 26 microsatellite loci, providing data for 349 samples from 230 participants living in 80 households. Pairwise genetic relatedness was calculated using identity by state (IBS). RESULTS As expected, genetic diversity was high (mean heterozygosity [He] = 0.73), and the majority (76.5 %) of samples were polyclonal. Despite the high genetic diversity, fine-scale population structure was detectable, with significant spatiotemporal clustering of highly related infections. Although the difference in malaria incidence between households at higher (mean 1127 metres) versus lower elevation (mean 1015 metres) was modest (1.4 malaria cases per person-year vs. 1.9 per person-year, respectively), there was a significant difference in multiplicity of infection (2.2 vs. 2.6, p = 0.008) and, more strikingly, a higher proportion of highly related infections within households (6.3 % vs. 0.9 %, p = 0.0005) at higher elevation compared to lower elevation. CONCLUSIONS Genetic data from a relatively small number of diverse, multiallelic loci reflected fine scale patterns of malaria transmission. Given the increasing interest in applying genetic data to augment malaria surveillance, this study provides evidence that genetic data can be used to inform transmission patterns at local spatial scales even in moderate transmission areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Briggs
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Alison Kuchta
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Max Murphy
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sofonias Tessema
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - John Rek
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Anna Chen
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joaniter I Nankabirwa
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Chris Drakeley
- Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - David Smith
- Institute for Health Metrics & Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Teun Bousema
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Moses Kamya
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Sarah Staedke
- Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Grant Dorsey
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Philip J Rosenthal
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bryan Greenhouse
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Schmidt J, Krohn S, Kallies R, Schneider H, Zeller K, Ziebolz D, Berg T, Haak R. Antibacterial effect of a brominated self-etch adhesive on carious dentin - An in vivo study. J Dent 2020; 105:103555. [PMID: 33346060 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2020.103555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This in vivo study compared the antibacterial effect of a self-etch adhesive with and without the brominated monomer 12-methacryloyloxydodecyl-pyridinium bromide (MDPB) on carious dentin after selective caries removal. METHODS 10 patients showing deep primary carious lesions at two posterior teeth without pulpal symptoms were included. At visit I, carious tissue was selectively removed and carious dentin was sampled with a sterile roundbur (Komet No. 18). One cavity was restored with composite (SDR, Ceram X; DENTSPLY DeTrey) using an MDPB-containing self-etch adhesive (Clearfil Protect Bond, Kuraray Noritake; PB). The other restoration served as a control (Clearfil SE Bond II, Kuraray Noritake; SE). At visit II after 8 weeks, carious dentin was sampled again. Bacterial growth in carious dentin was differentiated using microbial cultivation. Bacterial DNA from intact cells and cell-free DNA were quantified using 16S rRNA gene-based real-time PCR and the microbial community composition was analyzed by amplicon deep-sequencing. Wilcoxon test was applied for statistical analysis. RESULTS Both treatments showed a decrease of intact bacterial cells in carious dentin at visit II compared to visit I (PB: visit I: 1.1*106, visit II: 1.7*105 (p = 0.03); SE: visit I: 1.1*107, visit II = 2.4*105 (p = 0.002)). No statistically significant reduction of cell-free bacterial DNA was detected (PB: visit I: 6.1*105, visit II: 1.6*105 (p = 0.08); SE: visit I: 5.3*105, visit II: 2.9*105 (p = 0.10)). The decrease of intact cell-derived (p = 0.371) and cell-free DNA (p = 0.455) did not differ significantly between PB and SE. Lactobacillus was most abundant within the microbial community at both visits. Alpha-diversity was not affected by treatment and samples showed high intra- and interindividual diversity. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Both self-etch adhesives have an antibacterial effect due to a decrease of bacterial DNA after selective caries removal. However, the results do not reveal any additional antibacterial effect by MDPB. The study is registered with the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00011532).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Schmidt
- Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 12, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Sandra Krohn
- Medical Department II Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases, Pneumology, Section Hepatology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - René Kallies
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hartmut Schneider
- Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 12, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katharina Zeller
- Medical Department II Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases, Pneumology, Section Hepatology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dirk Ziebolz
- Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 12, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Berg
- Medical Department II Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases, Pneumology, Section Hepatology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rainer Haak
- Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 12, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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Ndiaye T, Sy M, Gaye A, Siddle KJ, Park DJ, Bei AK, Deme AB, Mbaye A, Dieye B, Ndiaye YD, Ndiaye IM, Diallo MA, Diongue K, Volkman SK, Badiane AS, Ndiaye D. Molecular epidemiology of Plasmodium falciparum by multiplexed amplicon deep sequencing in Senegal. Malar J 2020; 19:403. [PMID: 33172455 PMCID: PMC7654156 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-03471-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Molecular epidemiology can provide important information regarding the genetic diversity and transmission of Plasmodium falciparum, which can assist in designing and monitoring elimination efforts. However, malaria molecular epidemiology including understanding the genetic diversity of the parasite and performing molecular surveillance of transmission has been poorly documented in Senegal. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) offers a practical, fast and high-throughput approach to understand malaria population genetics. This study aims to unravel the population structure of P. falciparum and to estimate the allelic diversity, multiplicity of infection (MOI), and evolutionary patterns of the malaria parasite using the NGS platform. METHODS Multiplex amplicon deep sequencing of merozoite surface protein 1 (PfMSP1) and merozoite surface protein 2 (PfMSP2) in fifty-three P. falciparum isolates from two epidemiologically different areas in the South and North of Senegal, was carried out. RESULTS A total of 76 Pfmsp1 and 116 Pfmsp2 clones were identified and 135 different alleles were found, 56 and 79 belonged to the pfmsp1 and pfmsp2 genes, respectively. K1 and IC3D7 allelic families were most predominant in both sites. The local haplotype diversity (Hd) and nucleotide diversity (π) were higher in the South than in the North for both genes. For pfmsp1, a high positive Tajima's D (TD) value was observed in the South (D = 2.0453) while negative TD value was recorded in the North (D = - 1.46045) and F-Statistic (Fst) was 0.19505. For pfmsp2, non-directional selection was found with a highly positive TD test in both areas and Fst was 0.02111. The mean MOI for both genes was 3.07 and 1.76 for the South and the North, respectively, with a statistically significant difference between areas (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION This study revealed a high genetic diversity of pfmsp1 and pfmsp2 genes and low genetic differentiation in P. falciparum population in Senegal. The MOI means were significantly different between the Southern and Northern areas. Findings also showed that multiplexed amplicon deep sequencing is a useful technique to investigate genetic diversity and molecular epidemiology of P. falciparum infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tolla Ndiaye
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar, Senegal.
| | - Mouhamad Sy
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Amy Gaye
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Daniel J Park
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Amy K Bei
- Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Awa B Deme
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Aminata Mbaye
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Baba Dieye
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Yaye Die Ndiaye
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Ibrahima Mbaye Ndiaye
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Mamadou Alpha Diallo
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Khadim Diongue
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Sarah K Volkman
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aida Sadikh Badiane
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Daouda Ndiaye
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Dakar, Senegal
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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50
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Briggs J, Teyssier N, Nankabirwa JI, Rek J, Jagannathan P, Arinaitwe E, Bousema T, Drakeley C, Murray M, Crawford E, Hathaway N, Staedke SG, Smith D, Rosenthal PJ, Kamya M, Dorsey G, Rodriguez-Barraquer I, Greenhouse B. Sex-based differences in clearance of chronic Plasmodium falciparum infection. eLife 2020; 9:59872. [PMID: 33107430 PMCID: PMC7591246 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple studies have reported a male bias in incidence and/or prevalence of malaria infection in males compared to females. To test the hypothesis that sex-based differences in host-parasite interactions affect the epidemiology of malaria, we intensively followed Plasmodium falciparum infections in a cohort in a malaria endemic area of eastern Uganda and estimated both force of infection (FOI) and rate of clearance using amplicon deep-sequencing. We found no evidence of differences in behavioral risk factors, incidence of malaria, or FOI by sex. In contrast, females cleared asymptomatic infections at a faster rate than males (hazard ratio [HR]=1.82, 95% CI 1.20 to 2.75 by clone and HR = 2.07, 95% CI 1.24 to 3.47 by infection event) in multivariate models adjusted for age, timing of infection onset, and parasite density. These findings implicate biological sex-based differences as an important factor in the host response to this globally important pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Briggs
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Noam Teyssier
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Joaniter I Nankabirwa
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda.,Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - John Rek
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Emmanuel Arinaitwe
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda.,Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Teun Bousema
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chris Drakeley
- Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Margaret Murray
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, United States
| | | | - Nicholas Hathaway
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States
| | - Sarah G Staedke
- Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - David Smith
- Institute for Health Metrics & Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Phillip J Rosenthal
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Moses Kamya
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda.,Department of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Grant Dorsey
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | | | - Bryan Greenhouse
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
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