Plasmodium sasai is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Sauramoeba.

Plasmodium sasai
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Alveolata
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Aconoidasida
Order: Haemospororida
Family: Plasmodiidae
Genus: Plasmodium
Species:
P. sasai
Binomial name
Plasmodium sasai
Telford and Ball, 1969

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

Description

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The parasite was first described by Telford and Ball in 1969 in the lacertid Takydromus tachydromoides.

Geographical occurrence

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This species is found in Japan and Thailand.

Clinical features and host pathology

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The vertebrate hosts for this species are lizards of the genus Takydromus. The insect vector is not yet known.

Infection of Takydromus tachydromoides is commonw with 90% adults infected. Infection occurs early in life with 80%+ infected within the first few weeks of hatching.[1]

References

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  1. ^ Telford, S.R. (1996). "Epizootiology of the Japanese saurian malaria parasite, Plasmodium sasai". J. Parasitol. 82 (2): 226–232. doi:10.2307/3284151. JSTOR 3284151.

Further reading

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Telford Jr., S.R. (February 1982). "Interpopulation variation of a saurian malaria, Plasmodium sasai telford & ball, 1969, in three host species distributed within a range of 24° north latitude". International Journal for Parasitology. 12 (1): 17–22. doi:10.1016/0020-7519(82)90089-3.

Telford, Sam R. (March 1998). "The development and persistence of phanerozoites in experimental infections of Plasmodium sasai". International Journal for Parasitology. 28 (3): 475–84. doi:10.1016/S0020-7519(97)00201-4. PMID 9559365.