Plasmodium ovale wallikeri in Western Lowland Gorillas and Humans, Central African Republic

Abstract

Human malaria parasites have rarely been reported from free-ranging great apes. Our study confirms the presence of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium ovale wallikeri in western lowland gorillas and humans in Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas, Central African Republic, and discusses implications for malaria epidemiology.

Keywords

• western lowland gorillas
• malaria
• Plasmodium ovale wallikeri
• Central African Republic
• parasites
• zoonoses