The parasite which causes malignant malaria in humans has been identified in gorillas for the first time.
Researchers analysed faeces from wild gorillas in Cameroon and blood samples from a captive animal from Gabon.
The study says increasing contact between humans and primates due to logging and deforestation raises the risk of transmission of new pathogens.
The research findings are published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.
New genetic sampling techniques allowed scientists from France, Cameroon, Gabon and the US to examine evidence of malaria parasites in the faecal matter of wild gorillas and chimpanzees in Cameroon.
"Sampling malaria parasites from apes in the wild has until now been very difficult", said Dr Francisco Ayala from the University of California, Irvine.
The team also took blood samples from wild born, pet animals in Gabon.
DNA evidence of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malignant malaria in humans, was found in faecal samples from two gorilla subspecies, the highly endangered cross-river gorilla and the western lowland gorilla.
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