Plasmodium brodeni is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Vinckeia.
Like all Plasmodium species P. brodeni has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are mammals.
| Plasmodium brodeni | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Protista |
| Phylum: | Apicomplexa |
| Class: | Aconoidasida |
| Order: | Haemosporida |
| Family: | Plasmodiidae |
| Genus: | Plasmodium |
| Species: | P. brodeni |
| Binomial name | |
| Plasmodium brodeni |
|
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The parasite was first described by Rodhain at al. in 1913. Rodhain and his colleagues were on a scientific expedition in the Katanga, Congo. As part of this expedition they examined blood of all the vertebrates they caught. In a sample of twelve elephant shrews (Petrodomus tetradactylus) captured between Bukama and Sankisia this parasite was discovered. They named the species after Broden.
This parasite was rediscovered several years later by a United States Naval Medical Research Unit in elephant shrews caught in the Sudan. Over one hundred animals were found to be infected. The press reported the import by air of 'malaria infected elephants' from Africa.
This species is found in the Congo, Sudan and probably in other parts of Africa.
The only known host is the elephant shrew (Petrodomus and Elephantulus species).[1]