Dr.Wolde, Mistire(MSc, PhD)Zerfu, Biruk (MSc, PhD Follower)Chekol, Tsegaye2022-04-042023-11-062022-04-042023-11-062021-10http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/31111Background:The genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum plays an important role indetermining the intensity of malaria transmission.High polymorphism has been demonstrated inmerozoite surface proteins 1 and 2at differentgeographic locations in malaria endemic areas.This study aimto knowgenetic diversity of P. falciparumin the study area. Objective:This study aimed to evaluate theGenetic diversity ofP. falciparummerozoite surfaceprotein-1 and 2 and genes inBoset andBadewacho district, southern Ethiopia. Methods:A cross-sectional studywasconducted atNura Hera of upper awash agro-industrymigrant farmworkers, Bosetworeda, East Shewa, southeastern and East Badewacho District,Hadiya Zone SouthernEthiopiaduring peakmalaria transmissionfromMarch to June 2020.Afinger-prick bloodwascollected frommalariaasymptomatic individual asepticallyand screenedfor plasmodium species bypreparing thick and thin blood films, and200 μl of finger-prickeddried blood spot(DBS)were used for molecular test.Thenfor thoseP. falciparumpositivecases,genetic variationtestsfor merozoite surface proteins (msp-1) and (msp-2) producing wasdonebyusing Nested PCRmethods.Data were entered and analysed using SPSS version 25. Theproportion of msp1 and msp2 allelic was calculated to present the distribution of different allelicfamilies. The associations between proportions were tested using the Chi-square test. P values≤0.05 were considered to indicate statistical Significance. Results:Among738participants43 were hadmalaria,most of them werein the age group greaterthan 24 years;27 (62.8%), and the mean age of the participants was 26.88 (± 15.78 SD) years.The majority of participantsweremale 24 (55.8%) and most of the participants 26 (60.5%) weremarried.AmongP. falciparummsp-1 andmsp-2genes that were successfully amplified andanalyzed, 109 different fragments were detected. Within themsp-1gene, a total of 54 differentfragments with K1, MAD20, and RO33 had (16.3%), monoclonal infections seen. Thefrequencies of diclonal infections wereMAD20 + K1, MAD20 + RO33 and RO33 + K1withallelic families’of20.9%, 9.3% and 4.7%, respectively. The frequencies of triclonal infections,MAD20 +K1 + RO33, were 2.3%. The multiplicity of infections for themsp-1genotype was1.5. Likewise, within themsp-2gene, a total of 55 different fragments with monoclonal infectionwas identified of which four and fifteen belonged to FC27 (9.3%), and 3D7 (34.9%),respectively. Diclonal infections (FC27 + 3D7) accounted for 18 (41.9%). Conclusions:The higher the MOI in this study, the higher the prevalence of malaria in theseareas and the need to strengthen control interventions.en-USPlasmodium falciparum,Genetic diversity, Merozoite surface proteinThesis