A Simple Method for Isolation of Plasmodium gallinaceum from Infected Chicken Red Blood Cells

Abstract

Abstract

This study aims to isolate avian malaria parasite (Plasmodium gallinaceum) from red blood cell nucleus. Intravenous passage f or three days can stimulate the production of a high percentage of schizont stages in malaria-infected chicken blood. Chicken blood was drawn from the jugular vein, washed with PBS solution, the buffy c oat layer was removed, frozen at –20 ^oC overnight, and subjected to 4 steps of differential centrifugation. The pellet of each centrifugal step was prepared into a thin smear on a glass slide, and stained with Giemsa. The examined results had a high concentration of parasites contaminated with a few host red blood cell nuclei at the 4^th step while more contamination was found at the 1^st-3^rd steps. This procedure can be used in parasite purification without using anylysis agents.

Keywords : Plasmodium gallinaceum, isolation, red blood cell nucleus