No impact of strongylid infections on the detection of Plasmodium spp. in faeces of western lowland gorillas and eastern chimpanzees

0475263 - ÚBO 2018 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Mapua, M. I. - Pafčo, B. - Burgunder, J. - Profousová‑Pšenková, I. - Todd, A. - Hashimoto, C. - Qablan, M. A. - Modrý, D. - Petrželková, Klára Judita
No impact of strongylid infections on the detection of Plasmodium spp. in faeces of western lowland gorillas and eastern chimpanzees.
Malaria Journal. Roč. 16, č. 1 (2017), č. článku 175. E-ISSN 1475-2875
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-05180S
Institutional support: RVO:68081766
Keywords : Co-infection * Faeces * Strongylid * Necator spp. * Plasmodium spp. * Malaria * Western lowland gorilla * Eastern chimpanzee
OECD category: Infectious Diseases
Impact factor: 2.845, year: 2017

Background: Although a high genetic diversity of Plasmodium spp. circulating in great apes has been revealed recently due to non-invasive methods enabling detection in faecal samples, little is known about the actual mechanisms underlying the presence of Plasmodium DNA in faeces. Great apes are commonly infected by strongylid nematodes, including hookworms, which cause intestinal bleeding. The impact of strongylid infections on the detection of Plasmodium DNA in faeces was assessed in wild, western, lowland gorillas from Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas, Central African Republic and eastern chimpanzees from Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Uganda.

Methods: Fifty-one faecal samples from 22 habituated gorillas and 74 samples from 15 habituated chimpanzees were analysed using Cytochrome-b PCR assay and coprological methods.

Results: Overall, 26.4% of the analysed samples were positive for both Plasmodium spp. and strongylids. However, the results showed no signifcant impact of intensity of infections of strongylids on detection of Plasmodium DNA in gorilla and chimpanzee faeces.

Conclusion: Bleeding caused by strongylid nematode Necator spp. cannot explain the presence of Plasmodium DNA in ape faeces.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0272106