Microsatellite DNA analysis reveals genetic change of P. vivax in Korea

Malaria is one of the major infectious diseases transmitted by mosquitos, with enormous impact on quality of life. According to World Health Organization, as of 2010 there were over 219 million reported cases of malaria with an estimated 660,000 deaths. Plasmodium vivax, which is the second most prevalent species of the human malaria parasite, is widely distributed especially in Asia, Melanesia, the Middle East, South and Central America.