Population_genomics_of_hookworm_parasites

Over 500 million people worldwide are infected with hookworm parasites. While generally restricted to infecting people from the poorest and most neglected communities, hookworms are making a resurgence in regions where they were once controlled, such as the southern states of the USA. Hookworms, like other gastrointestinal soil-transmitted parasites, are primarily treated via mass drug administration of benzimidazole-class anthelmintic drugs, such as albendazole and mebendazole. Such large-scale drug exposure puts significant selection pressure on parasite populations, and may lead to the evolution of drug resistance. Here we aim to sequence parasites from globally diverse samples, and parasites collected in cross-sectional studies focused on measuring drug response. With these data, we aim to build an understanding on genetic diversity betwwen these parasites, and determine how this diversity changes in response to drug treatment.