Plasmodium mexicanum

Plasmodium mexicanum is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Paraplasmodium.

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

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

Description

The parasite was first described by Thompson and Huff in 1944.[1]

Geographical occurrence

This parasite is found in Arizona, United States.

Clinical features and host pathology

This parasite infects the Scleroporus ferraripezi, Scleroporus horridus, Scleroporus microlepidotus, western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), Scleroporus pyrocephalus, Scleroporus variabilis, Scleroporus torquatus torquatus and the tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus).[2]

This species is unusual in being able to undergo normal sporogony in psychodid flies (Lutzomyia stewarti and Lutzomyia vexatrix).

References

  1. ↑ Thompson P.E. and Huff C.G. (1944) Saurian malaria parasites of the United States and Mexico. J. Inf. Dis. 74:68–79.
  2. ↑ French S.S., Fokidis H.B., Moore M.C. 2008. Variation in stress and innate immunity in the tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus) across an urban-rural gradient. J Comp Physiol [B].

Further reading

  • Moltz, Victoria; Lewis, William; Vardo-Zalik, Anne (October 2014). "Leukocyte Profiles for Western Fence Lizards, Sceloporus occidentalis, Naturally Infected by the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium mexicanum". Journal of Parasitology. 100 (5): 592–597. doi:10.1645/13-371.1.


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