First record of avian Plasmodium DNA from mosquitoes collected in the Yaeyama Archipelago, southwestern border of Japan

J Vet Med Sci. 2011 Nov;73(11):1521-5. doi: 10.1292/jvms.11-0190. Epub 2011 Jul 8.

Abstract

We studied the prevalence of avian Plasmodium in 509 mosquitoes of 9 species collected from the Ishigaki and Iriomote islands in the Yaeyama Archipelago, located southwest from the mainland of Japan. Two identical avian Plasmodium lineages were detected from Culex (Culiciomyia) nigropunctatus. Detected lineages were phylogenetically classified into different clade to avian Plasmodium lineages from birds and mosquitoes in the mainland of Japan but identical to a lineage detected from a resident bird, White-breasted Waterken (Amaurornis phoenicurus). This is the first detection of avian Plasmodium DNA from mosquitoes in the Yaeyama Archipelago and suggested that resident birds might have been infected with an avian Plasmodium lineage specific to the studied area and C. nigropunctatus could be the candidate vector mosquito species.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Birds
  • Culex / parasitology*
  • DNA, Protozoan / isolation & purification*
  • Insect Vectors / parasitology*
  • Japan
  • Malaria, Avian / parasitology*
  • Malaria, Avian / transmission
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Plasmodium / genetics*
  • Plasmodium / isolation & purification

Substances

  • DNA, Protozoan

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AB617729
  • GENBANK/AB617730