''Plasmodium schwetzi'' is a parasite of the genus ''

Plasmodium ''Plasmodium'' is a genus of unicellular eukaryotes that are obligate parasites of vertebrates and insects. The life cycles of ''Plasmodium'' species involve development in a Hematophagy, blood-feeding insect host (biology), host which then inj ...

'' subgenus ''

''. Like all ''Plasmodium'' species ''P. schwetzi'' has both

vertebrate Vertebrates () are animals with a vertebral column (backbone or spine), and a cranium, or skull. The vertebral column surrounds and protects the spinal cord, while the cranium protects the brain. The vertebrates make up the subphylum Vertebra ...

and

insect Insects (from Latin ') are Hexapoda, hexapod invertebrates of the class (biology), class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (Insect morphology#Head, head, ...

hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are

mammal A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three ...

Description

''P. schwetzi'' was first described by Reichenow in 1920 in blood apes in

Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...

.Coatney GR, Collins WE, Warren M, Contacos PG. The primate malarias. 1971. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. The parasite resembles both ''

Plasmodium vivax ''Plasmodium vivax'' is a protozoal parasite and a human pathogen. This parasite is the most frequent and widely distributed cause of recurring malaria. Although it is less virulent than ''Plasmodium falciparum'', the deadliest of the five huma ...

'' and ''

Plasmodium ovale ''Plasmodium ovale'' is a species of parasitic protozoon that causes tertian malaria in humans. It is one of several species of ''Plasmodium'' parasites that infect humans, including ''Plasmodium falciparum'' and ''Plasmodium vivax'' which are ...

''.

Geographical occurrence

This species is found in

Clinical features and host pathology

This species may occasionally infect man.Rodhain J, Dellaert R. Contribution a l etude de ''Plasmodium schwetzi'' E. Brumpt (2eme note). Transmission de Plasmodium schwetzi a l'homme. Ann Soc Belg Med Trop. 35:757–775

Vectors

*'' Anopheles balabacensis balabacensis''

References

schwetzi {{plasmodium-stub