"Clonal" population structure of the malaria agent Plasmodium falciparum in high-infection regions

The population genetic structure of Plasmodium falciparum, the agent of malignant malaria, has been shown to be predominantly "clonal" (i.e., highly inbred) in regions of low infectivity; in high-infectivity regions, it is often thought to be panmictic, or nearly so, although there is little supporting evidence for this. The matter can be settled by investigating the parasite's genetic makeup in the midgut oocysts of the mosquito vector, where the products of meiosis can directly be observed. The developmental stages of P. falciparum are haploid, except in the oocysts of infected mosquito vectors, where two gametes fuse, diploidy occurs, and meiosis ensues. We have investigated genetic polymorphisms at seven microsatellite loci located on five chromosomes by assaying 613 oocysts in 145 mosquitoes sampled from 11 localities of Kenya, where malignant malaria is perennial and intense. There is considerable allelic variation, 16.3 +/- 2.1 alleles per locus, and considerable inbreeding, approximately 50% on the average. The inbreeding is caused by selfing (approximately 25%) and nonrandom genotype distribution of oocysts among mosquito guts (35%). The observed frequency of heterozygotes is 0.43 +/- 0.03; the expected frequency, assuming random mating, is 0.80 +/- 0.05. Linkage disequilibrium is statistically significant for all 21 pairwise comparisons between loci, even though 19 comparisons are between loci in different chromosomes, which is consistent with strong deviation from panmixia and the consequent reproduction of genomes as clones, without recombination between gene loci. This is of considerable evolutionary significance and of epidemiological consequence, concerning the spread of multilocus drug and vaccine resistance.

Multicentric genetic study of Candida albicans isolates from non-neutropenic patients using MLEE typing: population structure and mode of reproduction

A mycological survey was conducted on non-neutropenic patients in three distinct intensive care units in two hospitals in Marseille (France) from November 1993 to November 1995. Candida albicans positive cultures from 62 patients were included in this study. Every first isolate of each patient was typed by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE). The enzyme profiles obtained from 15 polymorphic loci were then compared. This analysis demonstrated a strong population differentiation of C. albicans infective strains within and between the different care units and confirmed the probable preponderant clonal mode of reproduction of this yeast.

Multicentric epidemiological study of Aspergillus fumigatus isolates by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis

The genotypes of 63 isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus obtained from three hospitals in different geographical areas and of eight culture collection strains were determined by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. Twelve of the 17 enzymatic loci studied were polymorphic, giving rise to 48 different electrophoretic types. The existence of fixed multilocus genotypes, significant heterozygote deficits and excesses at the different loci, and linkage disequilibria within subpopulations strongly suggests a clonal reproduction mode for A. fumigatus. Numerical analysis of the comparison and disposition of the different electrophoretic types demonstrates a significant genetic differentiation between the three sampling sites. However, no correlation could be found between geographical distances and genetic differentiation. On account of the multiple discriminatory markers, multilocus enzyme electrophoresis typing seems to be a very powerful tool for epidemiological and reproductive mode studies of A. fumigatus.

Influence of Microphallus hoffmanni (Trematoda, Microphallidae) on the survival, sexual selection, and fecundity of Gammarus aequicauda (Amphipoda)

We investigated the influence of Microphallus hoffmanni (Trematoda) on the survival, mating success, and fecundity of its intermediate host, Gammarus aequicauda (Amphipoda). Despite the great size of M. hoffmanni metacercariae, the mean parasite abundance and the ratio of the variance to the mean abundance increased with host size, suggesting that accumulation of this parasite had no significant effect on the survival of its host. Size-assortative pairing was significant and we found no evidence of a parasite-mediated reduction in male competitiveness. Fecundity was reduced in infected females. Our results are in contrast to those obtained with helminths that alter the intermediate host's behaviour to favour their transmission to the definitive host.

Diversity and specificity in cestodes of the genus Moniezia: genetic evidence

Electrophoretic study of two species of Moniezia cestodes, M. expansa and M. benedeni, sampled in African (Senegal) domesticated ruminants, revealed a complex of species and a degree of specificity more pronounced than that previously described. The status of the different species is validated by the probable occurrence of within species cross-mating. A European origin is suggested for M. expansa due to identical isoenzyme patterns in cestodes from France, whereas some atypical individuals may be derived from wild African ruminants.