Susceptibility to Malaria, Genetics of

Joanne Berghout, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
Philippe Gros, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

Published online: July 2007

DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0020218

Malaria has exerted a strong, selective pressure on many genes in the human genome, leading to the development and retention of several alleles which confer a proctective advantage against blood-stage infection. Many of these polymorphisms, including sickle cell anaemia and the thalassaemias, are in the haemoglobin genes, but other mutations have been found in metabolism and immune response. Since many interacting genes are involved in the host response to malaria, animal models have been extremely useful in helping to identify and understand the host–parasite interaction.

Keywords: malaria; genetics; infectious disease; plasmodium; haemoglobin

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    Kwiatkowski DP (2005) How malaria has affected the human genome and what human genetics can teach us about malaria. American Journal of Human Genetics 77(2): 171–192.
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Related Sub-Topics:

Cytokines | Inflammation | Major Histocompatibility Complex | Molecular Genetics of Common and Complex Disease | Inter-Individual Variation and Polymorphism | Microbial Interactions and Communities | Protozoa
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Article Title: Susceptibility to Malaria, Genetics of
 
How to Cite close
Berghout, Joanne, and Gros, Philippe(Jul 2007) Susceptibility to Malaria, Genetics of. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0020218]