The use of a DNA probe for the differentiation of rodent malaria strains and species.

A clone, PCsv4, derived from a partial genomic library of the rodent malaria Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS strain, contains an insert which when used as a probe at low stringency in Southern blotting of genomic DNA from a variety of strains, subspecies and species of rodent malaria parasites, results in a pattern of hybridisation which is specific to each of the DNA samples used, thus providing an accurate method to define a rodent malaria line. The insert only hybridises to DNA derived from malaria parasites of rodent species. The insert also hybridises to a small number of RNA transcripts.