Plasmodium fallax

Plasmodium fallax is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Giovannolaia.

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

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

Description

The parasite was first described by Schwetz in 1930.

Geographical occurrence

This species is found in Uganda, Africa.

Clinical features and host pathology

In Uganda a vector has been identified - the mosquito Aedes albopictus.

Among its vertebrate hosts are the pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum), turkeys (Meleagris species) and the helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris).

Plasmodium fallax has periods in which the parasite leaves its host cell and travels to find a new host cell. This is very risky because the parasite will become inactive and unable to invade a new cell if it does not quickly find a host.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Weathersby, A. Burns (February 1987). "Plasmodium fallax: The Invasion of Host Cells by Exoerythrocytic Merozoites in Tissue Culture". The Journal of Parasitology. 73 (1): 77–79. doi:10.2307/3282346. PMID 3572668.

Further reading

  • Aikawa, Masamichi (October 1, 1967). "Ultrastructure of the pellicular complex of Plasmodium fallax". Journal of Cell Biology. 35 (1): 103–113. doi:10.1083/jcb.35.1.103. PMC 2107124. PMID 6061711. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  • Weathersby (Feb 1987). "Plasmodium fallax: the invasion of host cells by exoerythrocytic merozoites in tissue culture". J Parasitol. 73 (1): 3. doi:10.2307/3282346. PMID 3572668.
  • Cabrita, Maria; Vale, Carlos; Rauter, Amelia (August 2010). "Halogenated Compounds from Marine Algae". Marine Drugs. 8 (8): 2301–2317. doi:10.3390/md8082301.


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