The Study of Cultural and Biological Adaptations to Malaria in Nepal

该项目的主要目的是阐明尼泊尔低地两种居民之间疟疾感染的差异：在文化上一直与疟疾作斗争的人和在基因上一直适应疟疾的人。我们在2000年9月至10月、2001年3月和8月以及2002年2月与居民合作，在kabhrepalanchank县Mahadevsthan村发展委员会的一个定居点进行了四次实地调查。我们发现遗传性贫血如-地中海贫血，血红蛋白E和葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶（G6PD）缺乏症的居民。这类贫血的患病率在Tamangs、Parbate印度人和Newars人中非常低，或者没有发现，这些人在文化上一直在与疟疾作斗争，而生活在疟疾流行的河岸地区的多瑙河人则有很高的α地中海贫血率。此外，未发现Duffy抗原（-/-）和卵母细胞增多症。对于疟疾感染的差异，我们不仅采用涂片检查，还采用PCR诊断，发现α -地中海贫血携带者血红蛋白水平的变化普遍小于非携带者。此外，我们发现居民中丝虫病和蠕虫病的感染率较高，并在附近河流捕获的鱼类中检测到许多肝吸虫的囊蚴。

The main purpose of this project is to elucidate the differences in malaria infection between the two kinds of inhabitants in lowland Nepal : those who have been coping with malaria culturally and those who have been adapting to malaria genetically. We carried out four times of field research in September-October, 2000, March and August, 2001 and February, 2002 at a settlement of Mahadevsthan Village Development Committee in Kabhrepalanchok District in cooperation with the inhabitants.We found hereditary anemia such as alpha-thalassemia, Hemoglobin E and Glucos-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in the inhabitants. The prevalence of these kinds of anemia is very low or not found among the Tamangs, Parbate Hindus and Newars who have been coping with malaria culturally, whereas the Danuwars who have been living in malaria endemic riparian areas have a high rate of alpha thalassemia. In addition, no sample of Duffy antigen (-/-) and ovalocytosis was found.As for the difference of malaria infection, we adopted not only the examination of smear samples but also PCR diagnosis, and found that the changes of hemoglobin level among alpha- thalassemia carriers are generally smaller than those among the non carriers.Besides, we found high prevalence of filarial and helminthic infections among the inhabitants, and detected many metacercariae of liver flukes in the fishes, which were caught in nearby rivers.