PLASMODIUM ELONGATUM IN THE PEKIN DUCK123

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Abstract
The 5E strain of P. elongatum was inoculated into the duck from a canary and subsequently underwent over 40 intraven. subinoculations at frequent intervals. A total of approx. 150 ducks was studied. Most of them were observed for the first 2 weeks after inoculation. Observations of the bone marrow were made in some of them at autopsy. Rapid passage of P. elongatum through the duck does not increase the degree of parasitemia in the peripheral blood after the first 10 transfers. The course of infection with P. elongatum is characterized by 2 peaks in parasitemia. One occurs during the 1st week and the other during the 2d week after inoculation. After inoculation with 3 billion parasites per kg., parasitemia at peak remains below 10% of the erythrocytes. Only 29% of ducks inocu-ated with doses up to 3 billion parasites per kg. survived for 16 days after inoculation. One-half of the animals died during the first 10 days after inoculation. Ducks infected with P. elongatum develop extremely severe anemia. Their erythrocyte count drops to 300,000 per cu. mm. of blood. P. elongatum in duck blood can be preserved by low temp. freezing.