Spatial and genetic dynamics of Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein2 in sub-Saharan Africa

Background

Malaria rapid diagnosis tests (mRDTs) detecting Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (Pfhrp2) are the most widely adopted diagnostic tool in malaria-endemic areas. However, extensive polymorphisms in Pfhrp2 could modify Pfhrp2 epitopes, rendering it undetectable by Pfhrp2-based mRDTs. This study investigates the spatial distribution and population dynamics of Pfhrp2 in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA).

Method

Pfhrp2 sequences (215) were retrieved from public repositories and analysed with MAFFT v7, DnaSP, and various packages in R. We computed genetic diversity metrics, neutrality tests, differentiation, haplotype networks, and phylogenetic analyses.

Results