Evaluation of the genetic diversity of domain II of Plasmodium vivax Apical Membrane Antigen 1 (PvAMA-1) and the ensuing strain-specific immune responses in patients from Sri Lanka

► Meager meiotic recombination and single nucleotide polymorphisms affected genetic diversity at Pvama-1DII in Sri Lanka. ► Eleven a.a. variant positions defined 21 a.a. haplotypes with 9 unique to the island. ► Majority of Sri Lankan patients developed anti-AMA-1 antibodies to both conformational and linear B cell epitopes. ► The PvAMA-1DII loop was highly conserved in all local and global isolates. ► Highly immunogenic P04 peptide with protective antibody response is a strong contender for a vaccine construct.