Unusual double erythrocyte infection by heterogeneric parasites in the lacertid lizard Psammodromus algirus

Abstract

The observation reported here is noteworthy because it represents a rare case of double heterogeneric (co)infection in a single host erythrocyte. The low frequency of these observations in the sample suggests that the co-occurrence of one Schellackia sporozoite and one Karyolysus gametocyte within a single host erythrocyte would not benefit either the parasites or the host. We conclude that it represents a stochastic event of single host cell coinfection.