Bringing to light unnoticed data on the genetic and host diversity of ungulate <i>Plasmodium</i>.

ABSTRACT: The genus Plasmodium, best known for causing malaria in humans, also infects a diverse array of vertebrates, including ungulates. Despite the first report of Plasmodium in ungulates dating back to 1913, research on these parasites has remained scarce, largely overshadowed by studies on primate, avian, and rodent Plasmodium. A century later, in 2016, three independent publications renewed interest by reporting the first genetic sequences of ungulate Plasmodium from different host species and continents. Since then, several studies have explored their genetic diversity across various host species and geographic regions. Among these, two studies investigated Plasmodium in African forest and savanna ungulates, identifying several new host species, particularl

SUBMITTER: Makanga BK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12268843 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature