The prevalence of malaria parasites was studied in the lizard Anolis gundlachi over a 9-yr period at a site in the wet evergreen forest of eastern Puerto Rico. Three forms of the parasite infected the lizards; these were Plasmodium floridense, Plasmodium azurophilum in erythrocytes, and P. azurophilum in white blood cells. Overall prevalence of infection for 8 samples during the study period was significantly higher for males than females (32% of 3,296 males and 22% of 1,439 females). During the study, the site experienced substantial climatic and physical disturbance including rising temperature, droughts, and hurricanes that severely damaged the forest. Parasite prevalence in the first sample, 8 mo after the massive hurricane Hugo, was slightly, though significantly, lower than for subsequent samples. However, overall prevalence was stable during the 9-yr period. The results show malaria prevalence is more constant at the site than found for 2 studies in temperate forests, and that the Puerto Rico system may be an example of the stable, endemic malaria described by standard models for human malaria epidemiology.
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June 2000
LIFE CYCLES-SURVEY|
June 01 2000
PREVALENCE OF MALARIA PARASITES (PLASMODIUM FLORIDENSE AND PLASMODIUM AZUROPHILUM) INFECTING A PUERTO RICAN LIZARD (ANOLIS GUNDLACHI): A NINE-YEAR STUDY Available to Purchase
JosJ. Schall;
JosJ. Schall
Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405
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Anja R. Pearson;
Anja R. Pearson
Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405
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Susan L. Perkins
Susan L. Perkins
Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405
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J Parasitol (2000) 86 (3): 511–515.
Citation
JosJ. Schall, Anja R. Pearson, Susan L. Perkins; PREVALENCE OF MALARIA PARASITES (PLASMODIUM FLORIDENSE AND PLASMODIUM AZUROPHILUM) INFECTING A PUERTO RICAN LIZARD (ANOLIS GUNDLACHI): A NINE-YEAR STUDY. J Parasitol 1 June 2000; 86 (3): 511–515. doi: https://doi.org/10.1645/0022-3395(2000)086[0511:POMPPF]2.0.CO;2
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