Genetic polymorphism of Wuchereria bancrofti parasite Functional genes

Abstract

The neglected tropical diseases NTD are considered as the most newlinedisabling among the most common chronic infections of the world s poorest newlinepopulation It represents a group of chronic parasitic and bacterial infections newlinesuch as hookworm infection ascariasis schistosomiasis lymphatic filariasis newlineonchocerciasis Chaga s disease leishmaniasis and trachoma Parasitic newlinespecies of phylum nematoda are the causative agents of 6 of the 13 NTDs newlinewhich afflict around 2 7 billion people Hotez et al 2006 Human evolution newlineand parasitic infections have run hand in hand and had acquired an amazing newlinenumber of parasites about 300 species of helminth worms and over 70 newlinespecies of protozoa Parasitic nematodes infect nearly half the world s human newlinepopulation resulting in significant morbidity and mortality Lymphatic newlinefilariasis LF is a disease caused by a group of lymphatic dwelling filarial newlinenematodes transmitted by mosquito vectors They are caused by three species newlineof tissue dwelling filaroid nematodes such as Brugia malayi Brugia timori newlineand Wuchereria bancrofti Approximately 120 million people Schwab et al newline2006 2 of the world s population in over 90 countries are infected newlineW bancrofti is the most common causative agent and accounts for about 90 newlineof cases while B malayi accounts for 10 of cases and is confined to East newlineand Southeast Asia B timori is found only in Timor and nearby islands LF newlinehas been identified by the World Health Organisation WHO as the second newlineleading cause of permanent and long term disability worldwide newline