Genetics basis of praziquantel resistance in Schistosoma mansoni (GWAS)

Praziquantel (PZQ) is the only drug available to treat schistosomiasis. Ongoing massive drug administration program may induce selection for PZQ resistance in natural schistosome populations. We performed a genome-wide association study using a laboratory schistosome population (SmLE-PZQ-R) which is polymorphic in respect to PZQ treatment: some individual worms showed high sensitivity while other don't during in vitro PZQ treatement. For this association, we cultured worms individually, treated them with PZQ and identified sensitive and resistant worms based on recovery from treatment measured using a metabolic assay (measure of lactate produced by each worm).