HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by PAULMAN, A. Articles by MCALLISTER, M. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by PAULMAN, A. Articles by MCALLISTER, M. M. Related Collections Malaria

PLASMODIUM GALLINACEUM: CLINICAL PROGRESSION, RECOVERY, AND RESISTANCE TO DISEASE IN CHICKENS INFECTED VIA MOSQUITO BITE

Historically, in vivo experiments of Plasmodium gallinaceum in chickens have caused high mortality. Perhaps because of this high mortality, it remains to be demonstrated whether recovered birds will resist a second episode of illness when re-exposed to infected mosquitoes. In the current study, groups of 10 chicks were infected with P. gallinaceum via mosquito bite. Parasitemia and anemia were followed by recovery in all birds, although they had persisting, low levels of parasitized erythrocytes (0.007 ± 0.019%). Twenty-three days after the initial exposure, 10 recovered chicks were rechallenged with P. gallinaceum via mosquito bite; none of them developed clinical or hematological evidence of malaria, in contrast to matched control birds, which all became diseased (P < 0.001). Unlike previous studies, the current experiment had no mortality in chickens infected with P. gallinaceum by mosquito bite. Recovered birds resisted disease from re-exposure to the same organism. The duration and nature of immunity or premunition remain to be determined.

Received June 15, 2005. Accepted for publication July 22, 2005.

Acknowledgment: The authors thank the University of Illinois’ Department of Veterinary Pathobiology for supporting this project.

^* Address correspondence to Milton M. McAllister, University of Illinois, Dept. of Pathobiology, 2001 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana, IL 61801. E-mail: mmmcalli{at}uiuc.edu

Authors’ addresses: April Paulman and Milton M. McAllister, University of Illinois, Department of Pathobiology, 2001 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, E-mail: mmmcalli{at}uiuc.edu.

Reprint requests: Milton M. McAllister, University of Illinois, Department of Pathobiology, 2001 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, E-mail: mmmcalli{at}uiuc.edu.