Lack of geospatial population structure yet significant linkage disequilibrium in the reservoir of plasmodium falciparum in Bongo District, Ghana

Abstract

Malaria control in West Africa is impeded by the large reservoir of chronic asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infections in the human population. This study aimed to assess the extent of diversity in the P. Falciparum reservoir in Bongo District (BD), Ghana, at the end of the dry season, the lowest point in malaria transmission over the course of the year. Analysis of the variation in 12 microsatellite loci was completed for 200 P. Falciparum isolates collected from a cross-sectional survey of residents of all ages from two catchment areas in BD. Analysis of the multilocus haplotypes showed high levels of genetic diversity (He = 0.74), no population differentiation yet significant linkage d..