Genetic changes in the population of Plasmodium falciparum in a Sudanese village over a three-year period

The prevalence of alleles of genes of the Plasmodium falciparum population of Asar village in eastern Sudan was monitored over three consecutive years. The characters studied were parasite surface antigens, proteins detected by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, enzymes, and drug response. Fluctuations in allele prevalences from one year to another were detected and are discussed in the context of seasonality of malaria transmission in the region studied.