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Ecology of malaria infections in western lowland gorillas inhabiting Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas, Central African Republic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2015

MWANAHAMISI I. MAPUA
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
MONEEB A. QABLAN*
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic Central European Institute for Technology (CEITEC), University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
KATEŘINA POMAJBÍKOVÁ
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech of the Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
KLÁRA J. PETRŽELKOVÁ
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech of the Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 603 00 Brno, Czech Republic Liberec Zoo, 460 01 Liberec, Czech Republic
ZUZANA HŮZOVÁ
Affiliation:
Health Institute in Ústí nad Labem, Sokolovska 60, Prague 8 180 00, Czech Republic
JANA RÁDROVÁ
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech of the Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
JAN VOTÝPKA
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech of the Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
ANGELIQUE TODD
Affiliation:
WWF, Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas, BP 1053 Bangui, Central African Republic
MILAN JIRKŮ
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech of the Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
FABIAN H. LEENDERTZ
Affiliation:
Project Group Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microbiology, Robert Koch-Institut, Nordufer 20, 13353 Berlin, Germany
JULIUS LUKEŠ
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech of the Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto ON, M5G 1Z8, Canada
CECILE NEEL
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
DAVID MODRÝ
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic Central European Institute for Technology (CEITEC), University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech of the Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
*
*Corresponding author. Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic and Central European Institute for Technology (CEITEC), University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic. E-mail: [email protected]

Summary

African great apes are susceptible to infections with several species of Plasmodium, including the predecessor of Plasmodium falciparum. Little is known about the ecology of these pathogens in gorillas. A total of 131 gorilla fecal samples were collected from Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas to study the diversity and prevalence of Plasmodium species. The effects of sex and age as factors influencing levels of infection with Plasmodium in habituated gorilla groups were assessed. Ninety-five human blood samples from the same locality were also analysed to test for cross-transmission between humans and gorillas. According to a cytB PCR assay 32% of gorilla's fecal samples and 43·1% human individuals were infected with Plasmodium spp. All Laverania species, Plasmodium vivax, and for the first time Plasmodium ovale were identified from gorilla samples. Plasmodium praefalciparum was present only from habituated individuals and P. falciparum was detected from human samples. Although few P. vivax and P. ovale sequences were obtained from gorillas, the evidence for cross-species transmission between humans and gorillas requires more in depth analysis. No association was found between malaria infection and sex, however, younger individuals aged ≤6 years were more susceptible. Switching between two different Plasmodium spp. was observed in three individuals. Prolonged monitoring of Plasmodium infection during various seasons and recording behavioural data is necessary to draw a precise picture about the infection dynamics.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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