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

aThe period in months (mo) between the last date in the country endemic for malaria and presentation to the hospital in Italy; NA = not available.bPlas. sp. = Plasmodium species; Pf = P. falciparum; Pv = P. vivax; Pm = P. malariae; Po = P. ovale; N = negative.cThe presence of the species P. falciparum, P. vivax and P. malariae was determined by the classical nested PCR (NP-2002) as previously described [21], and that of P. ovale (P. ovale curtisi and/or P. ovale wallikeri) was determined by nested PCR using recently described oligonucleotides that amplify both of the two species [11].