Plasmodium hermani is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Huffia. As in all Plasmodium species, P. hermani has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are birds.

Plasmodium hermani
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Alveolata
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Aconoidasida
Order: Haemospororida
Family: Plasmodiidae
Genus: Plasmodium
Species:
P. hermani
Binomial name
Plasmodium hermani
Telford and Forrester, 1975

Description

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This species was first described in 1975 by Telford and Forrester in a wild turkey.[1]

Geographical occurrence

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This species is found in Florida, USA.

Vectors

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Note: Cx. nigripalpus appears to be the main natural vector.

Clinical features and host pathology

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This species infects knots (Calidris canutus), bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) and turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo).

Infection of turkeys causes anaemia, splenomegaly and decreased growth but is not normally fatal.

References

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  1. ^ Telford S.R., Jr. and Forrester D.J. (1975) Plasmodium (Huffia) hermani sp. n. from wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in Florida. J. Euk. Microbiol. 22 (3) 324-328
  2. ^ Forrester DJ, Nayar JK, Foster GW. (1980) Culex nigripalpus: a natural vector of wild turkey malaria (Plasmodium hermani) in Florida. J. Wildl. Dis. 16(3):391-394
  3. ^ Nayar JK, Young MD, Forrester DJ. (1981) Plasmodium hermani: experimental transmission by Culex salinarius and comparison with other susceptible florida mosquitoes. Exp. Parasitol. 51(3):431-437