Molecular and pathological investigations of Plasmodium parasites infecting striped forest whiptail lizards (Kentropyx calcarata) in Brazil.

The genus Plasmodium (Plasmodiidae) ranks among the most widespread intracellular protozoan parasites affecting a wide range of mammals, birds, and reptiles. Little information is available about lizard malaria parasites in South America, and the pathological features of the resulting parasitoses remain unknown or poorly understood. To partially fill in these gaps, we conducted blood smear analysis, molecular detection, and phylogenetic and pathological investigations in lizards inhabiting an Atlantic Forest fragment in Paraiba, Brazil. From 104 striped forest whiptails (Kentropyx calcarata) screened for the presence of haemosporidian parasites, 67 (64.4%) were positive. Four of five Amazon lava lizards (Strobilurus torquatus) we collected from this same area were also positive. A total of 27 forest whiptails were infected with a new genetic lineage of Plasmodium kentropyxi and other Plasmodium lineages were also detected. Histopathological analysis in infected forest whiptails revealed systemic intraerythrocytic Plasmodium stages, mainly gametocytes, in the liver, lung, and heart. Also, the liver of infected lizards had mild to moderate levels of Kupffer cell and melanomacrophage hypertrophy/hyperplasia with sinusoid leukocytosis. Overall, our findings suggest that an endemic Plasmodium species causes histological alterations that are not related to major pathological processes in striped forest whiptails.