title: Molecular Detection of Plasmodium malariae/Plasmodium brasilianum in Non-Human Primates in Captivity in Costa Rica.
abstract: One hundred and fifty-two blood samples of non-human primates of thirteen rescue centers in Costa Rica were analyzed to determine the presence of species of Plasmodium using thick blood smears, semi-nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (SnM-PCR) for species differentiation, cloning and sequencing for confirmation. Using thick blood smears, two samples were determined to contain the Plasmodium malariae parasite, with SnM-PCR, a total of five (3.3%) samples were positive to P. malariae, cloning and sequencing confirmed both smear samples as P. malariae. One sample amplified a larger and conserved region of 18S rDNA for the genus Plasmodium and sequencing confirmed the results obtained microscopically and through SnM-PCR tests. Sequencing and construction of a phylogenetic tree of this sample revealed that the P. malariae/P. brasilianum parasite (GenBank KU999995) found in a howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) is identical to that recently reported in humans in Costa Rica. The SnM-PCR detected P. malariae/P. brasilianum parasite in different non-human primate species in captivity and in various regions of the southern Atlantic and Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The similarity of the sequences of parasites found in humans and a monkey suggests that monkeys may be acting as reservoirs of P.malariae/P. brasilianum, for which reason it is important, to include them in control and eradication programs.
authors.affiliation: Maestría en Enfermedades Tropicales, Posgrado Regional en Ciencias Veterinarias Tropicales (PCVET), Universidad Nacional (UNA), Campus Benjamín Nuñez, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fuentes-Ramírez
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, UNA, Campus Benjamín Núñez, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Soto
authors.affiliation: Maestría en Enfermedades Tropicales, Posgrado Regional en Ciencias Veterinarias Tropicales (PCVET), Universidad Nacional (UNA), Campus Benjamín Nuñez, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, UNA, Campus Benjamín Núñez, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Romero-Zuñiga
authors.affiliation: Maestría en Enfermedades Tropicales, Posgrado Regional en Ciencias Veterinarias Tropicales (PCVET), Universidad Nacional (UNA), Campus Benjamín Nuñez, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica.|Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, UNA, Campus Benjamín Núñez, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Gaby
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9566-5130
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dolz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003364:Costa Rica / Q000453:epidemiology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000469:parasitology; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D000882:Haplorhini / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010802:Phylogeny; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010965:Plasmodium malariae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S