Molecular epidemiological study on ungulate malaria parasites

Malaria parasites of even-toed ungulate have been sparsely described after its discovery. Plasmodium bubalis was reported from water buffalo in India in 1919, and P. caprae was reported from goat in Angola in 1923, however these studies were based on microscopic description and no further epidemiological or phylogenetical studies have been conducted. PCR surveys was performed using blood from ungulates and it was found that Plasmodium is readily detectable from water buffaloes in Thailand and Vietnam. Plasmodium DNA was also detected from goats in Zambia, Sudan and Kenya in Africa, Iran in west Asia, and Myanmar and Thailand in southeast Asia. Complete mitochondrial DNA sequences were determined and used to infer a phylogeny in which ungulate malaria parasites form a monophyletic clade within the Haemosporida, and branch prior to the clade containing bird, lizard and other mammalian Plasmodium.

Project details

Basic Science

Apr 2016 — Mar 2019

$156,536

Japan