Plasmodium uluguruense

Plasmodium uluguruense is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium.

Like all Plasmodium species P. uluguruense has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are reptiles.

Plasmodium uluguruense
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Protista
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Aconoidasida
Order: Haemosporida
Family: Plasmodiidae
Genus: Plasmodium
Species: P. uluguruense
Binomial name
Plasmodium uluguruense

Description

The parasite was first described by Telford in 1984.[1]

Young schizonts are elongate with blunt ends and become oval or round following the second nuclear division. Mature schizonts are smaller than the host cell nuclei, produce 4-12 merozoites and are usually arranged as a fan.

Immature gametocytes like young schizonts are elongate with blunt ends. Mature gametocytes are usually oval and approximate the host cell nuclei in size. Their pigment granules concentrated in a single focus.

Geographical occurrence

This species is found in the Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania.

Clinical features and host pathology

This species infects the lizard Hemidactylus platycephalus.

References

  1. Telford, Jr S.R. (1984) Studies on African saurian malarias: Three Plasmodium species from gekkonid hosts J. Parasitol. 70 (3) 343-354


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