Characteristics of <i>P</i>. <i>ovale</i> samples and species identification by microscopy, nested PCR and Real time PCR.

a<p>The period in months (mo) between the last date in the country endemic for malaria and presentation to the hospital in Italy; NA = not available.</p>b<p><i>Plas</i>. sp. = <i>Plasmodium</i> species; Pf = <i>P. falciparum</i>; Pv = <i>P. vivax</i>; Pm = <i>P. malariae</i>; Po = <i>P. ovale</i>; N = negative.</p>c<p>The presence of the species <i>P. falciparum</i>, <i>P. vivax</i> and <i>P. malariae</i> was determined by the classical nested PCR (NP-2002) as previously described <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0048033#pone.0048033-Snounou5" target="_blank">[21]</a>, and that of <i>P. ovale</i> (<i>P</i>. <i>ovale curtisi</i> and/or <i>P</i>. <i>ovale wallikeri</i>) was determined by nested PCR using recently described oligonucleotides that amplify both of the two species <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0048033#pone.0048033-Calderaro1" target="_blank">[11]</a>.