Red Cell Genetic Markers in Malarial Susceptibility and Selective Advantage Hypothesis

Malaria is still a serious public health challenge in many parts of the world including India. Human genetic susceptibility to malaria varies from individual to individual depending upon the genetic constitution and from region to region based on geo-ecological and climatic conditions. In the present study, intravenous 334 random blood samples of unrelated adult individuals belonging to Mongoloid ethnic stock were taken after informed consent from the endemic localities of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Nagaland to find out the relationship between the abnormal hemoglobin and G6PD enzyme deficiency, and susceptibility to malaria. Abnormal hemoglobin E and G6PD enzyme deficiency seem to interact with malarial parasite in such a way that they probably provide decreased susceptibility or inhibitory effect or increased resistance. Genetic alterations in human genome are maintained in the specific population by natural selection to protect the host against the malarial infection. These findings are consistent with those studies which support the notion of selective genetic advantage hypothesis against the malaria infection