Résumé
The question of population structure in parasitic protozoa has recently gained a renewed topicality with significant contributions on medically important pathogens, such as
Plasmodium falciparum,
Toxoplasma gondii and
Cryptosporidium parvum. The proposals that initiated this debate are reviewed here and the subsequent developments of the clonal theory, in light of recent contributions, are examined.
This review updates the main results obtained in the field of parasite population genetics within the framework of the clonality vs sexuality’ debate, since the publication of the clonal theory of parasitic protozoa in 1990.