The Infection of Duck and Goose Erythrocytes by the Mammalian Malaria Parasite, Plasmodium berghei

Abstract

The infection of mice and baby rats by both Plasmodium lophurae, an avian parasite, and Plasmodium berghei, a mammalian malaria parasite, prompted investigation of the likelihood of P. berghei infecting avian erythrocytes. Though erythrocytes of chick embryos were not infected, those of the goose and duck embryos were. In both these cells the morphology of the parasite was markedly different from that seen in mammalian erythrocytes. Infections were transitory and it was impossible to find parasites after 4 days. Examination of the hosts of both species of parasites showed a rather wide range and examination of the susceptibility of the duck erythrocyte indicated that this cell was peculiarly receptive to infection by a variety of plasmodia.