Genetic epidemiology of lymphatic filariasis in American Samoa after mass drug administration

Over 892 million people in 48 countries are at risk of infection by the parasitic nematodes that cause lymphatic filariasis (LF). As part of the Global Programme to Eliminate LF, mass drug administration (MDA) is distributed to communities until surveillance indicates that infection rates have dropped below target prevalence thresholds. However, in some countries, including American Samoa, lymphatic filariasis continues to persist despite years of MDA, and/or has resurged after cessation of MDA.We extracted DNA from microfilariae on blood slides collected as part of post-MDA surveys in American Samoa. We amplified, sequenced, and analysed a 1104 base pairs across three mitochondrial markers (COI, ND4, CytB) for each pool. These data represent the first reports of W. bancrofti mitochondrial sequences and their variation in Polynesia and is the first step towards investigation of relatedness between W. bancrofti in American Samoa with Melanesian and other global populations, estimation of size and interrelatedness of the worm populations in American Samoa, and the implications of parasite population structure on strategies to successfully eliminate LF and manage resurgence.