From Africa to Europe: evidence of transmission of a tropical Plasmodium lineage in Spanish populations of house sparrows

Abstract Background Avian malaria parasites are a highly diverse group that commonly infect birds and have deleterious effects on their hosts. Some parasite lineages are geographically widespread and infect many host species in many regions. Bird migration, natural dispersal, invasive species and human-mediated introductions into areas where competent insect vectors are present, are probably the main drivers of the current distribution of avian malaria parasites. Methods A total of 412 and 2588 wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus) were captured in 2012 and 2013 in two areas of the Iberian Peninsula (central and southern Spain, respectively). Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples; parasite lineages were sequenced and identified by comparing with GenBank and/or MalAvi databases. Results Thirteen Plasmodium lineages were identified in house sparrows corresponding to three major clades. Five individuals were infected by the African Plasmodium lineage PAGRI02, which has been proposed to actively circulate only in Africa. Conclusions Despite the low prevalence of PAGRI02 in sparrows in Spain, our results suggest that the area of transmission of this parasite is more widespread than previously thought and covers both Africa and Europe. Further studies of the global distribution of Plasmodium lineages infecting wild birds are required to identify the current transmission areas of these parasites. This is vital given the current scenario of global change that is providing new opportunities for avian malaria transmission into areas where parasites were previously absent.

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Comparison of mitochondrial cytochrome b lineages and morphospecies of two avian malaria parasites of the subgenera Haemamoeba and Giovannolaia (Haemosporida: Plasmodiidae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.1626.1.3 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 1626 (1) ◽

pp. 39-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 74

Author(s):

VAIDAS PALINAUSKAS ◽

VLAD KOSAREV ◽

ANATOLY SHAPOVAL ◽

STAFFAN BENSCH ◽

GEDIMINAS VALKINAS

Keyword(s):

Cytochrome B ◽

Avian Malaria ◽

Passer Domesticus ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

Mitochondrial Cytochrome ◽

Cyt B ◽

Malaria Parasites ◽

Mitochondrial Cytochrome B ◽

The Baltic ◽

Avian Malaria Parasites

PCR-based methods have been increasingly used in diagnosis of parasitic diseases. Over 40 morphospecies of avian malaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium have been described. However, only nine of them have been identified on the level of their mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene lineages, which are frequently used in molecular biology studies of avian blood haemosporidian parasites. In this study, we linked two common mitochondrial cyt b lineages P-SGS1 and P-TURDUS1 with their morphospecies. Light infections with two species of malaria parasites of the subgenera Haemamoeba and Giovannolaia were isolated from naturally infected adult Hawfinches, Coccothraustes coccothraustes Linnaeus, on the Curonian Spit in the Baltic Sea. These parasites were inoculated to naive juveniles of the Common Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra Linnaeus, and House Sparrow, Passer domesticus Linnaeus. Heavy parasitemia of Plasmodium (Haemamoeba) relictum Grassi & Feletti, 1891 (lineage P-SGS1) and Plasmodium (Giovannolaia) circumflexum Kikuth, 1931 (P-TURDUS1) developed in the subinoculated Common Crossbills and House Sparrows, respectively, which enabled the detailed illustration of all main blood stages of these parasites and the deposition of their voucher specimens. The parasites of both lineages are actively transmitted in Europe and inhabit a broad range of avian hosts. Lineages closely related to P. relictum and P. circumflexum were identified. This study contributes to establishing of combined PCR-based and morphological identification of avian malaria parasites.

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Host Specialization and Geographic Localization of Avian Malaria Parasites: A Regional Analysis in the Lesser Antilles

The American Naturalist ◽

10.2307/3473476 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 165 (4) ◽

pp. 466

Author(s):

Fallon ◽

Bermingham ◽

Ricklefs

Keyword(s):

Avian Malaria ◽

Regional Analysis ◽

Host Specialization ◽

Lesser Antilles ◽

Malaria Parasites ◽

Avian Malaria Parasites

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Assessing Diversity, Plasmodium Infection and Blood Meal Sources in Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from a Brazilian Zoological Park with Avian Malaria Transmission

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12030215 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 215

Author(s):

Lilian de Oliveira Guimarães ◽

Roseli França Simões ◽

Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas ◽

Regiane Maria Tironi de Menezes ◽

Fabiana Santos Silva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Meal ◽

Avian Malaria ◽

Mosquito Species ◽

Plasmodium Species ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

São Paulo ◽

Malaria Parasites ◽

Ecological Relationships ◽

Lack Of Information ◽

Avian Malaria Parasites

Avian malaria parasites are widespread parasites transmitted by Culicidae insects belonging to different genera. Even though several studies have been conducted recently, there is still a lack of information about potential vectors of Plasmodium parasites, especially in Neotropical regions. Former studies with free-living and captive animals in São Paulo Zoo showed the presence of several Plasmodium and Haemoproteus species. In 2015, a pilot study was conducted at the zoo to collect mosquitoes in order to find out (i) which species of Culicidae are present in the study area, (ii) what are their blood meal sources, and (iii) to which Plasmodium species might they be potential vectors. Mosquitoes were morphologically and molecularly identified. Blood meal source and haemosporidian DNA were identified using molecular protocols. A total of 25 Culicidae species were identified, and 6 of them were positive for Plasmodium/Haemoproteus DNA. Ten mosquito species had their source of blood meal identified, which were mainly birds, including some species that were positive for haemosporidian parasites in the former study mentioned. This study allowed us to expand the list of potential vectors of avian malaria parasites and to improve our knowledge of the evolutionary and ecological relationships between the highly diverse communities of birds, parasites, and vectors present at São Paulo Zoo.

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