The dangers of using single locus markers in parasite epidemiology: Ascaris as a case study

Abstract

Molecular markers are used widely to discriminate between closely related species of parasites, and in many cases a single locus is used for this purpose. This article aims to show how molecular data derived from a single genetic marker or linkage group - in this case mitochondrial DNA - can lead to ambiguous conclusions and to illustrate how a multilocus approach has enhanced our understanding of the epidemiology of two closely related parasites, the nematodes Ascaris suum, which infects pigs, and Ascaris lumbicoides, which infects humans.