Potential and pitfalls of using identity-by-descent for malaria genomic surveillance

The ability to genotype malaria parasites on an epidemiological scale is crucial for genomic surveillance as it aids in understanding malaria transmission dynamics and parasite demography changes in response to antimalarial interventions. Identity-by-descent (IBD)-based methods have demonstrated potential in various aspects of malaria genomic surveillance. However, there is a need for validation of existing approaches and development of new techniques to address challenges posed by the parasites' unique evolutionary dynamics and complex biological characteristics, which differ markedly from organisms like humans. This review examines current IBD use cases, identifies limitations of IBD-based methods, and explores promising future directions to enhance malaria genomic surveillance.