Multilocus haplotypes reveal variable levels of diversity and population structure of Plasmodium falciparum in Papua New Guinea, a region of intense perennial transmission

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The South West Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea has intense year round transmission of <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>on the coast and in the low-lying inland areas. Local heterogeneity in the epidemiology of malaria suggests that parasites from multiple locations will need to be surveyed to define the population biology of <it>P. falciparum </it>in the region. This study describes the population genetics of <it>P. falciparum </it>in thirteen villages spread over four distinct catchment areas of Papua New Guinea.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ten microsatellite loci were genotyped in 318 <it>P. falciparum </it>isolates from the parasite populations of two inland catchment areas, namely Wosera (number of villages (n) = 7) and Utu (n = 1) and; and two coastal catchments, Malala (n = 3) and Mugil (n = 3). Analysis of the resultant multilocus haplotypes was done at different spatial scales (2-336 km) to define the genetic diversity (allelic richness and expected heterozygosity), linkage disequilibrium and population structure throughout the study area.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Although genetic diversity was high in all parasite populations, it was also variable with a lower allelic richness and expected heterozygosity for inland populations compared to those from the more accessible coast. This variability was not correlated with two proxy measures of transmission intensity, the infection prevalence and the proportion multiple infections. Random associations among the microsatellite loci were observed in all four catchments showing that a substantial degree of out-crossing occurs in the region. Moderate to very high levels of population structure were found but the amount of genetic differentiation (<it>F_ST</it>) did not correlate with geographic distance suggesting that parasite populations are fragmented. Population structure was also identified between villages within the Malala area, with the haplotypes of one parasite population clustering with the neighbouring catchment of Mugil.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The observed population genetics of <it>P. falciparum </it>in this region is likely to be a consequence of the high transmission intensity combined with the isolation of human and vector populations, especially those located inland and migration of parasites via human movement into coastal populations. The variable genetic diversity and population structure of <it>P. falciparum </it>has important implications for malaria control strategies and warrants further fine scale sampling throughout Papua New Guinea.</p

Exploring and Developing Effective Team Behaviors: An Analysis of Emerging Business Professionals

Insights on behaviorally-based group profiles of teams in meetings help us identify why some groups outperform others while accomplishing their meeting goals. Previous studies have examined individual behaviorally-based profiles in meetings, however, group profiles may be more complex. Study one establishes the existence of group profiles in CBA finance and banking teams, where students are expected to effectively function within a work-related team (AACSB Goal 5, Objective 1). Teams may belong to one of four distinct group profiles including: story-telling, well-organized networking, solution-focused, or problem-focused profiles. Study two confirms these findings and indicates that group profiles are indeed linked to group performance outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of behavioral processes for explaining differences in group performance

High levels of genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum populations in Papua New Guinea despite variable infection prevalence

Abstract. High levels of genetic diversity in Plasmodium falciparum populations are an obstacle to malaria control. Here, we investigate the relationship between local variation in malaria epidemiology and parasite genetic diversity in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Cross-sectional malaria surveys were performed in 14 villages spanning four distinct malaria-endemic areas on the north coast, including one area that was sampled during the dry season. High-resolution msp2 genotyping of 2,147 blood samples identified 761 P. falciparum infections containing a total of 1,392 clones whose genotypes were used to measure genetic diversity. Considerable variability in infection prevalence and mean multiplicity of infection was observed at all of the study sites, with the area sampled during the dry season showing particularly striking local variability. Genetic diversity was strongly associated with multiplicity of infection but not with infection prevalence. In highly endemic areas, differences in infection prevalence may not translate into a decrease in parasite population diversity