Plasmodium cuculus

Plasmodium cuculus is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium .

Like all Plasmodium species P. cuculus has both vertebrate and insect hosts. The vertebrate hosts for this parasite are birds.

Plasmodium cuculus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Protista
Phylum:	Apicomplexa
Class:	Aconoidasida
Order:	Haemosporida
Family:	Plasmodiidae
Genus:	Plasmodium
Species:	P. cuculus
Binomial name
Plasmodium cuculus

Description

The parasite was first identified by Zhu, He and Miao in 2002.

This species has not yet been described. The species was identified from a DNA sequence from cytochrome b. Given the lack of DNA sequences from many of the known bird species this may turn out to be a junior synonym of a previously described known species.

Geographical occurrence

This 'species' was isolated in China.

Clinical features and host pathology

This 'species' was isolated from the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus).

References