Population genomics diversity of Plasmodium falciparum in malaria patients attending Okelele Health Centre, Okelele, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Plasmodium falciparum, the most dangerous malaria parasite species to humans remains an important public health concern in Okelele, a rural community in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. There is however little information about the genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum in Nigeria. OBJECTIVE To determine the population genomic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum in malaria patients attending Okelele Community Healthcare Centre, Okelele, Ilorin, Kwara State. METHODS In this study, 50 Plasmodium falciparum strains Merozoite Surface Protein 1, Merozoite Surface Protein 2 and Glutamate Rich Protein were analysed from Okelele Health Centre, Okelele, Ilorin, Nigeria. Genetic diversity of P. falciparum isolates were analysed from nested polymerase chain reactions (PCR) of the MSP-1 (K1, MAD 20 and RO33), MSP-2 (FC27 and 3D7) and Glutamate Rich Protein allelic families respectively. RESULTS Polyclonal infections were more in majority of the patients for MSP-1 allelic families while monoclonal infections were more for MSP-2 allelic families. Multiplicity of infection for MSP-1, MSP-2 and GLURP were 1.7, 1.8 and 2.05 respectively. CONCLUSION There is high genetic diversity in MSP - 2 and GLURP allelic families of Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Okelele Health Centre, Ilorin, Nigeria.