Plasmodium odocoilei

Plasmodium odocoilei
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
(unranked): Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Infrakingdom: Alveolata
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Aconoidasida
Order: Haemospororida
Family: Plasmodiidae
Genus: Plasmodium
Species:
P. odocoilei
Binomial name
Plasmodium odocoilei
Garnham and Kuttler, 1980

Plasmodium odocoilei is a species of parasites, that causes malaria in white-tailed deer.[1]

Taxonomy

This species was discovered in 1967 in Texas and formally named in 1980.[2] It was rediscovered again in North America in 2016.[3]

This species is a member of the subgenus Vinckeia of the genus Plasmodium. The genus Plasmodium is most closely related to Polychromophilus. The relation between these genera is under debate at present and a revision of the taxonomy seems likely to be required.

From this study it seems that Plasmodium odocoilei belongs to a clade that is most closely related to Polychromophilus.[4] This study was based on mitochondria, plastid and nuclear genes which makes it likely to have the correct topology.

Molecular genetic studies have show that this species is actually at least two separate species that diverged between 2.3 million years ago to 6 million years ago.

Description

This species has large vacuoles in the erythroctic stages. It causes deformation and discolouration of the host erythrocyte.

Vectors

  • Anopheles punctipennis

Hosts

This species has been detected in while-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the eastern United States.[4]

  • White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

References

  1. ↑ Donahue, Michelle (5 February 2016). "Smithsonian study reveals White-tailed deer in Eastern U.S. are infected with a Malaria parasite". Smithsonian Science News. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  2. ↑ Garnham, PCC; Kuttler, KL (1980). "A malaria parasite of the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and its relation with known species of Plasmodium in other ungulates". Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences. 206 (1165): 395–402. Bibcode:1980RSPSB.206..395G. doi:10.1098/rspb.1980.0003. PMID 6102388.
  3. ↑ Lavelle, Marianne (5 February 2016). "Malaria parasite found hiding out in North American deer". Science. doi:10.1126/science.aaf4020.
  4. 1 2 Martinsen, Ellen S. (5 February 2016). "Hidden in plain sight: Cryptic and endemic malaria parasites in North American white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)". Science Advances. 2 (2): e1501486. Bibcode:2016SciA....2E1486M. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1501486. PMC 4788485. PMID 26989785.


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