Haemosporidian Parasites of Antelopes and Other Vertebrates from Gabon, Central Africa

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 10;11(2):e0148958. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148958. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Re-examination, using molecular tools, of the diversity of haemosporidian parasites (among which the agents of human malaria are the best known) has generally led to rearrangements of traditional classifications. In this study, we explored the diversity of haemosporidian parasites infecting vertebrate species (particularly mammals, birds and reptiles) living in the forests of Gabon (Central Africa), by analyzing a collection of 492 bushmeat samples. We found that samples from five mammalian species (four duiker and one pangolin species), one bird and one turtle species were infected by haemosporidian parasites. In duikers (from which most of the infected specimens were obtained), we demonstrated the existence of at least two distinct parasite lineages related to Polychromophilus species (i.e., bat haemosporidian parasites) and to sauropsid Plasmodium (from birds and lizards). Molecular screening of sylvatic mosquitoes captured during a longitudinal survey revealed the presence of these haemosporidian parasite lineages also in several Anopheles species, suggesting a potential role in their transmission. Our results show that, differently from what was previously thought, several independent clades of haemosporidian parasites (family Plasmodiidae) infect mammals and are transmitted by anopheline mosquitoes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anopheles / genetics
  • Anopheles / parasitology
  • Antelopes / parasitology*
  • Cytochromes b / genetics
  • Female
  • Gabon / epidemiology
  • Genetic Variation
  • Haemosporida / genetics
  • Insect Vectors / genetics
  • Insect Vectors / parasitology
  • Molecular Typing
  • Protozoan Infections, Animal / epidemiology
  • Protozoan Infections, Animal / parasitology*
  • Protozoan Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • Protozoan Proteins
  • Cytochromes b

Grants and funding

The study was funded by the Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF, Gabon), the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, France), the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD, France) and the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR, France, grant ORIGIN JCJC 012). Larson Boundenga was financed by an ANBG scholarship. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.