Plasmodium durae is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Giovannolaia.
Like all Plasmodium species P. durae has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are birds.
Description
The parasite was first described by Herman in 1941.Herman C. M. (1941) Plasmodium durae, a new species of malaria parasite from the common turkey. Am. J. Epidemiol. 34, 22-26
Mature gametocytes tend to lie obliquely within the host cell, displace the nucleus to one pole of the cell and possess one or more clumps of clear pigment granules.
Systematics
It is related to the following species:
Plasmodium asanum Plasmodium circumflexum Plasmodium fallax Plasmodium formosanum Plasmodium gabaldoni Plasmodium hegneri Plasmodium lophrae Plasmodium lophrae Plasmodium pediocetti Plasmodium pinotti Plasmodium polare
Geographical occurrence
This species is found in the United States of America and South Africa.
Clinical features and host pathology
Hosts of this species include domestic turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) and Swainson's Francolin (Francolinus swainsoni).
References
Further reading