High Levels of Genetic Differentiation between Ugandan Glossina fuscipes fuscipes Populations Separated by Lake Kyoga
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Date
2008
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Abstract
Glossina fuscipes fuscipes is the major vector of human African trypanosomiasis, commonly referred to as
sleeping sickness, in Uganda. In western and eastern Africa, the disease has distinct clinical manifestations and is caused by
two different parasites: Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and T. b. gambiense. Uganda is exceptional in that it harbors both
parasites, which are separated by a narrow 160-km belt. This separation is puzzling considering there are no restrictions on
the movement of people and animals across this region.
Methodology and Results: We investigated whether genetic heterogeneity of G. f. fuscipes vector populations can provide
an explanation for this disjunct distribution of the Trypanosoma parasites. Therefore, we examined genetic structuring of G.
f. fuscipes populations across Uganda using newly developed microsatellite markers, as well as mtDNA. Our data show that
G. f. fuscipes populations are highly structured, with two clearly defined clusters that are separated by Lake Kyoga, located in
central Uganda. Interestingly, we did not find a correlation between genetic heterogeneity and the type of Trypanosoma
parasite transmitted.
Conclusions: The lack of a correlation between genetic structuring of G. f. fuscipes populations and the distribution of T. b.
gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense indicates that it is unlikely that genetic heterogeneity of G. f. fuscipes populations explains
the disjunct distribution of the parasites. These results have important epidemiological implications, suggesting that a
fusion of the two disease distributions is unlikely to be prevented by an incompatibility between vector populations and
parasite.
Description
Keywords
Glossina fuscipes fuscipes, human African trypanosomiasis, sleeping sickness
Citation
Abila PP, Slotman MA, Parmakelis A, Dion KB, Robinson AS, et al. (2008) High Levels of Genetic Differentiation between Ugandan Glossina fuscipes fuscipes Populations Separated by Lake Kyoga. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2(5): e242. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000242