Prevalence of malaria parasites (Plasmodium floridense and Plasmodium azurophilum) infecting a Puerto Rican lizard (Anolis gundlachi): a nine-year study.
The prevalence of malaria parasites was studied in the lizard Anolis gundlachi over a 9-yr period at a site in the wet evergreen forest of eastern Puerto Rico. Three forms of the parasite infected the lizards; these were Plasmodium floridense, Plasmodium azurophilum in erythrocytes, and P. azurophilum in white blood cells. Overall prevalence of infection for 8 samples during the study period was significantly higher for males than females (32% of 3,296 males and 22% of 1,439 females). During the study, the site experienced substantial climatic and physical disturbance including rising temperature, droughts, and hurricanes that severely damaged the forest. Parasite prevalence in the first sample, 8 mo after the massive hurricane Hugo, was slightly, though significantly, lower than for subsequent samples. However, overall prevalence was stable during the 9-yr period. The results show malaria prevalence is more constant at the site than found for 2 studies in temperate forests, and that the Puerto Rico system may be an example of the stable, endemic malaria described by standard models for human malaria epidemiology.
Schall
J J
JJ
Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington 05405, USA.
Pearson
A R
AR
Perkins
S L
SL
D000818:Animals; D004190:Disasters; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D008116:Lizards / Q000469:parasitology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015995:Prevalence; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014887:Weather