title: A comparative molecular survey of malaria prevalence among Eastern chimpanzee populations in Issa Valley (Tanzania) and Kalinzu (Uganda).
abstract: Habitat types can affect vector and pathogen distribution and transmission dynamics. The prevalence and genetic diversity of Plasmodium spp. in two eastern chimpanzee populations-Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Uganda and Issa Valley, Tanzania-inhabiting different habitat types was investigated. As a follow up study the effect of host sex and age on infections patterns in Kalinzu Forest Reserve chimpanzees was determined.
  
  
  
  Molecular methods were employed to detect Plasmodium DNA from faecal samples collected from savanna-woodland (Issa Valley) and forest (Kalinzu Forest Reserve) chimpanzee populations.
  
  
  
  Based on a Cytochrome-b PCR assay, 32 out of 160 Kalinzu chimpanzee faecal samples were positive for Plasmodium DNA, whilst no positive sample was detected in 171 Issa Valley chimpanzee faecal samples. Sequence analysis revealed that previously known Laverania species (Plasmodium reichenowi, Plasmodium billbrayi and Plasmodium billcollinsi) are circulating in the Kalinzu chimpanzees. A significantly higher proportion of young individuals were tested positive for infections, and switching of Plasmodium spp. was reported in one individual. Amongst the positive individuals sampled more than once, the success of amplification of Plasmodium DNA from faeces varied over sampling time.
  
  
  
  The study showed marked differences in the prevalence of malaria parasites among free ranging chimpanzee populations living in different habitats. In addition, a clear pattern of Plasmodium infections with respect to host age was found. The results presented in this study contribute to understanding the ecological aspects underlying the malaria infections in the wild. Nevertheless, integrative long-term studies on vector abundance, Plasmodium diversity during different seasons between sites would provide more insight on the occurrence, distribution and ecology of these pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic. mwana2001@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mwanahamisi I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Mapua
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic.|Liberec Zoo, 460 01, Liberec, Czech Republic.|Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech of the Academy of Sciences, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Klára J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Petrželková
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.|Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jade
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burgunder
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dadáková
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Kristýna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brožová
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.|Department of Virology, Veterinary Research Institute, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic.|CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Kristýna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hrazdilová
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Anthropology, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3QG, UK.
authors.forename: Fiona A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L33AF, UK.
authors.forename: Alex K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Piel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic.|Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89069, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vallo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Fuehrer
authors.affiliation: Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan.
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.|Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech of the Academy of Sciences, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.|CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Modrý
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.|CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.|Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Food and Agriculture, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Moneeb A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Qablan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015995:Prevalence; D018419:Primate Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D045303:Cytochromes b
keywords: Cyt-b gene; Laverania; Malaria; Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii; Plasmodium spp.