Nematode population genetics.

Abstract

Population genetics seeks to understand the genetic relationships within and between populations of a species and the processes that generate these patterns. Little is known about the population genetics of parasitic nematodes. This is a notable gap in our knowledge since understanding the population genetic patterns and processes of parasitic nematodes has profound implications for our ability to fully understand this important group of pathogens. For example, it is only possible to begin to understand how a parasite population will respond to an imposed selection pressure (such as an anthelmintic drug, a vaccine, or resistant hosts) when the population genetic structure and patterns of gene flow of that population is known. Equally, the epidemiology of many nematode parasites is well known empirically and theoretically, yet this epidemiological information is of limited use without a good understanding of the genetic structure of those populations (Anderson & May, 1992).