Co-infections of haemosporidian and trypanosome parasites in a North American songbird

SUMMARYHosts frequently harbour multiple parasite infections, yet patterns of parasite co-occurrence are poorly documented in nature. In this study, we asked whether two common avian blood parasites, one haemosporidian and one trypanosome, affect each other's occurrence in individuals of a single host species. We used molecular genotyping to survey protozoan parasites in the peripheral blood of yellow-breasted chats (Aves: Passeriformes [Parulidae]:Icteria virens) from the Ozarks of Southern Missouri. We also determined whether single and co-infections differently influence white blood cell and polychromatic erythrocyte counts, the latter being a measure of regenerative anaemia. We found a positive association between the haemosporidian and trypanosome parasites, such that infection by one increases the probability that an individual host is infected by the other. Adult individuals were more likely than juveniles to exhibit haemosporidian infection, but co-infections and single trypanosome infections were not age-related. We found evidence of pathogenicity of trypanosomes in that infected individuals exhibited similar levels of regenerative anaemia as birds infected with haemosporidian parasites of the genusPlasmodium. Counts of white blood cells did not differ with respect to infection status.

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Molecular phylogenetic and morphological analysis of haemosporidian parasites (Haemosporida) in a naturally infected European songbird, the blackcap Sylvia atricapilla, with description of Haemoproteus pallidulus sp. nov.

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182009991235 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 137 (2) ◽

pp. 217-227 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

ASTA KRIŽANAUSKIENĖ ◽

JAVIER PÉREZ-TRIS ◽

VAIDAS PALINAUSKAS ◽

OLOF HELLGREN ◽

STAFFAN BENSCH ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Phenotypic Diversity ◽

Blood Parasites ◽

Sylvia Atricapilla ◽

Haemosporidian Parasites ◽

Avian Blood ◽

Avian Blood Parasites ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

Migratory Strategies ◽

Microscopy Data

SUMMARYThe blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) is a common Palearctic migratory warbler, and haemosporidian parasites are common in this species. However, genetic and phenotypic diversity of haemosporidians in warblers has been insufficiently investigated and poorly linked. We addressed this issue by combining molecular and microscopy data for detection of pigment-forming haemosporidians of the genera Haemoproteus and Plasmodium. Blood samples from 498 blackcaps were collected at 7 different sites in Europe and investigated for these parasites by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based techniques and microscopic examination. In all, 56% of the birds were infected by at least 1 out of 25 distinct mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene lineages of these haemosporidians. It is concluded that the blackcap is infected not only with blackcap specific haemosporidians, but also with Haemoproteus majoris, which is a host generalist and common in birds belonging to the Paridae. Haemoproteus pallidulus sp. nov. is described based on morphology of its blood stages and segments of the cyt b and dihydrofolate reductase/thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS) genes. This study provides evidence that genetic diversity of haemosporidian parasites might be positively correlated with migratory strategies of their avian hosts; it also contributes to the value of both microscopy and molecular diagnostics of avian blood parasites.

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Prevalence of Blood Parasites in Local Chickens in Qaradagh District, Sulaimani – Iraq

The Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Medicine ◽

10.30539/iraqijvm.v37i1.321 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

pp. 17-21

Author(s):

Shadan Hassan Abdullah

Keyword(s):

Blood Parasites ◽

Protozoan Parasites ◽

Village Chickens ◽

Haemosporidian Parasites ◽

Avian Blood ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Avian Blood Parasites ◽

First Time ◽

Chicken Blood ◽

Local Chickens

Hemosporidians are intracellular protozoan parasites found in blood cells and tissues of their avian hosts. They are worldwide distributed and occur in a variety of avian species, including domestic chicken. Blood parasites among village chickens in Qaradagh district, Sulaimani Province in Kurdistan region Iraq, were surveyed during the period of March-June for the year 2012. Haemoparasites investigation was done by microscopic examination of stained blood films which prepared from 170 local chickens (Gallus domesticus).The overall prevalence of all species of haemosporidian parasites over the studied period in tested individuals was 133 (78.2%) with 114 (85.7%) single and 19 (14.3%) mixed genera infections. Plasmodiumspp. was the most prevalent haemoparasite (52.6%) followed by Haemoproteus spp., (19.5 %) and Leucocytozoon spp. (13.5%).The study has reported high prevalence rate of haemoparasites. There isn't enough information about prevalence of avian blood parasites in the studied area, the present study detect for the first time existent of haemoparasites.

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Genetic diversity of avian blood parasites in SE Europe: Cytochrome b lineages of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus (Haemosporida) from Bulgaria

Acta Parasitologica ◽

10.2478/s11686-010-0029-z ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 55 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 58

Author(s):

Dimitar Dimitrov ◽

Pavel Zehtindjiev ◽

Staffan Bensch

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Cytochrome B ◽

Blood Parasites ◽

Cyt B ◽

New Host ◽

Genetic Lineages ◽

Haemosporidian Parasites ◽

Total Prevalence ◽

Avian Blood ◽

Avian Blood Parasites

AbstractWe used a nested PCR protocol to examine the genetic diversity of cytochrome b (cyt b) lineages from blood parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus in birds in Bulgaria. In total, 460 birds of 43 species and 14 families (mostly passerines) were examined for the presence of infections. Of them, 267 were recognised as infected with haemosporidian parasites. Mixed infections were recorded in 24 individuals (9%). Besides the 24 individuals with mix infections, 114 (43%) were positive for Plasmodium spp. and 129 (48%) for Haemoproteus spp. We identified 52 genetic lineages of haemosporidian parasites: 38 of Haemoproteus and 14 of Plasmodium. Twelve new cyt b lineages of Haemoproteus were recorded; they occurred in the following hosts: grey-faced woodpecker (Picus canus), golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus), jay (Garrulus glandarius), barred warbler (Sylvia nisoria), song thrush (Turdus philomelos), spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata), spanish sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis), hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes), and cirl bunting (Emberiza cirlus). We also detected 22 new host records for previously known lineages. The most common lineage was SGS1 (Plasmodium relictum), which had a total prevalence of 14% and occurred in 8 host species belonging to 5 families. Three of the cyt b lineages of genus Haemoproteus (DURB1, DURB2 and SYNIS2) showed more than 5% divergence from all described morphologically lineages. These lineages probably represent at least 2 different morphospecies which remains to be identified.

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Biogeography of avian blood parasites (Leucocytozoon spp.) in two resident hosts across Europe: phylogeographic structuring or the abundance-occupancy relationship?

Molecular Ecology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05221.x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 20 (18) ◽

pp. 3910-3920 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

TANIA JENKINS ◽

IAN P. F. OWENS

Keyword(s):

Blood Parasites ◽

Avian Blood ◽

Avian Blood Parasites

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A Cautionary Note on the Use of Nested PCR for Parasite Screening—An Example From Avian Blood Parasites

Journal of Parasitology ◽

10.1645/ge-1286.1 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 94 (2) ◽

pp. 562-564 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Eszter Szöllősi ◽

Olof Hellgren ◽

Dennis Hasselquist

Keyword(s):

Nested Pcr ◽

Blood Parasites ◽

Cautionary Note ◽

Avian Blood ◽

Avian Blood Parasites

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Humidity effects on avian blood parasites in the Caatinga of Brazil

Ornithology Research ◽

10.1007/s43388-020-00009-y ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

pp. 98-104

Author(s):

Regina Carolina Ferreira de Souza Gomes ◽

Bárbara Luiza Barbosa Teixeira ◽

Cássia Lima Silva Gusmão ◽

Alexandre M. Fernandes

Keyword(s):

Blood Parasites ◽

Humidity Effects ◽

Avian Blood ◽

Avian Blood Parasites

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Prevalence and diversity patterns of avian blood parasites in degraded African rainforest habitats

Molecular Ecology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-294x.2009.04346.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 18 (19) ◽

pp. 4121-4133 ◽

Cited By ~ 79

Author(s):

ANTHONY CHASAR ◽

CLAIRE LOISEAU ◽

GEDIMINAS VALKIŪNAS ◽

TATJANA IEZHOVA ◽

THOMAS B. SMITH ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Parasites ◽

Diversity Patterns ◽

Avian Blood ◽

Avian Blood Parasites

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Age, but not sex and seasonality, influence Haemosporida prevalence in White-banded Tanagers (Neothraupis fasciata) from central Brazil

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/cjz-2014-0119 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 93 (1) ◽

pp. 71-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

A. Fecchio ◽

M.R. Lima ◽

P. Silveira ◽

A.C.A. Ribas ◽

R. Caparroz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Parasite ◽

Blood Parasites ◽

Chronic Infections ◽

Central Brazil ◽

Genus Plasmodium ◽

Avian Blood ◽

Mitochondrial Cytochrome B ◽

Avian Blood Parasites ◽

Parasite Detection ◽

High Parasite

Despite many studies on avian blood parasites, we still have a limited understanding of the mechanisms that drive patterns of haemosporidian infection among tropical birds, including effects associated with sex, age, and seasonality. Using molecular and morphological methods for blood-parasite detection, we found that juvenile White-banded Tanagers (Neothraupis fasciata (Lichtenstein, 1823)) had lower haemosporidian prevalence than adults in a population within central Brazil. However, no sex or seasonal differences were detected. Of the 92 White-banded Tanagers analyzed, 67 individuals (72.8% prevalence) were infected with either Haemoproteus or Plasmodium (phylum Sporozoa, class Coccidea, order Haemosporida). Sequencing of a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene revealed six haemosporidian lineages: two lineages within the genus Haemoproteus and four within the genus Plasmodium. The prevalences of Plasmodium and Haemoproteus parasites were 43.5% and 17.4%, respectively. Our results suggest that this species maintains chronic infections all year round and individuals are able to sustain high parasite pressure.

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