Infectivity of Plasmodium gallinaceum sporozoites from oocysts.
Infectivity of Plasmodium gallinaceum (Brumpt) sporozoites isolated from midguts and salivary glands of experimentally infected Aedes fluviatilis (Lutz) was studied. The 2 populations were compared at 7, 8, and 9 days postisolation from mosquitoes, which were maintained at 27 C +/- 1 C and approximately 75% relative humidity. Infectivity of the parasites was evaluated by the length of the prepatent period of the infection in 2-week-old chicks inoculated intramuscularly. Infection was caused by 7-day-old sporozoites from salivary glands, but not from midguts. Older sporozoites induced infection in all the inoculated chicks. The results suggested a somewhat higher infectivity of the 8- and 9-day salivary-gland parasites than of the oocyst sporozoites. However, unlike sporozoites from mammalian malaria, oocyst sporozoites from avian malaria were highly infective at this age.
D000330:Aedes / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000469:parasitology*; D004064:Digestive System / Q000469:parasitology; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000469:parasitology