scholarly journals Description and Molecular Characterization of Two Species of Avian Blood Parasites, with Remarks on Circadian Rhythms of Avian Haematozoa Infections

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3490
Author(s):  
Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas ◽  
Rasa Binkienė ◽  
Gediminas Valkiūnas
Keyword(s):  
Circadian Rhythms ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Blood Parasites ◽  
Avian Host ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Host Parasite Interactions ◽  
Avian Blood ◽  
Avian Blood Parasites ◽  
Host Parasite

Avian blood parasites are remarkably diverse and frequently occur in co-infections, which predominate in wildlife. This makes wildlife pathogen research challenging, particularly if they belong to closely related groups, resulting in diagnostic problems and poor knowledge about such infections as well as the patterns of their co-occurrence and interactions. This is particularly true due to the periodicity (circadian rhythms) of parasitemia, which means that different parasitemia and parasite stages might be found throughout the day. We analysed blood samples from a Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula) and a Song thrush (Turdus philomelos). This study aimed to describe a new avian Lankesterella species and molecularly characterize and redescribe Splendidofilaria mavis, a common avian filarioid nematode. Additionally, it was possible to investigate the circadian rhythms of the avian blood parasites belonging to Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Trypanosoma, which occurred in co-infection in the same avian host individuals. Different circadian rhythms were seen in different parasites, with Plasmodium sp. peaks occurring at midday, Leucocytozoon spp. peaks mainly during the evening and night, and Trypanosoma spp. and microfilariae peaks at midnight. No periodicity was seen in Haemoproteus and Lankesterella species infections. The time of parasitemia peaks most likely coincides with the time of vectors’ activity, and this should be beneficial for transmission. Knowledge about the circadian rhythms is needed for better understanding patterns in host-parasite interactions and disease transmission.

Ultrastructural characterization of host–parasite interactions of Plasmodium coatneyi in rhesus macaques

Parasitology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-35
Author(s):  
ED Lombardini ◽  
B Malleret ◽  
A Rungojn ◽  
N Popruk ◽  
T Kaewamatawong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Host Parasite Interactions ◽  
Ultrastructural Characterization ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Plasmodium Coatneyi

scholarly journals Blood parasites in vectors reveal a united blackfly community in the upper canopy

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nayden Chakarov ◽  
Helge Kampen ◽  
Anja Wiegmann ◽  
Doreen Werner ◽  
Staffan Bensch
Keyword(s):  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Blood Parasites ◽  
Avian Host ◽  
Haemosporidian Parasite ◽  
Host Group ◽  
Haemosporidian Parasites ◽  
Blood Sucking ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Host Parasite

Abstract Background: The behaviour of blood-sucking arthropods is a crucial determinant of blood protozoan distribution and hence of host-parasite coevolution, but it is very challenging to study in the wild. The molecular identification of parasite lineages in vectors can be a useful key to understand the behaviour and transmission patterns realised by these vectors. Methods: In this study, we collected blackflies around nests of three raptor species in the upper forest canopy in central Europe and examined the presence of vertebrate DNA and haemosporidian parasites in them. We molecularly analysed 156 blackfly individuals, their vertebrate blood meals, and the haemosporidian parasite lineages they carried. Results: We identified nine species of Simulium blackflies, largely belonging to the subgenera Nevermannia and Eusimulium. Only 1% of the collected specimens was visibly engorged, and only 4% contained remains of host DNA. However, in 29% of the blackflies Leucocytozoon lineages were identified, which is evidence of a previous blood meal on an avian host. Based on the known vertebrate hosts of the recorded Leucocytozoon lineages, we can infer that large and/or abundant birds, such as thrushes, crows, pigeons, birds of prey, owls and tits are the main targets of ornithophilic blackflies in the canopy. Blackfly species contained similar proportions of host group-specific parasite lineages and thus do not appear to be associated with particular host groups. Conclusions: The Leucocytozoon clade infecting thrushes, crows, and pigeons present in most represented blackfly species suggests a lack of association between hosts and blackflies, which can increase the probability of host switches of blood parasites. However, the composition of the simuliid species differed between nests of common buzzards, goshawks and red kites. This segregation can be explained by coinciding habitat preferences between host and vector, and may lead to the fast speciation of Leucocytozoon parasites. Thus, subtle ecological preferences and lack of host preference of vectors in the canopy may enable both parasite diversification and host switches, and enforce a habitat-dependent evolution of avian malaria parasites and related haemosporidia.

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 ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 137 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-227 ◽  
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.

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

2008 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 562-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eszter Szöllősi ◽  
Olof Hellgren ◽  
Dennis Hasselquist
Keyword(s):  
Nested Pcr ◽  
Blood Parasites ◽  
Cautionary Note ◽  
Avian Blood ◽  
Avian Blood Parasites

Humidity effects on avian blood parasites in the Caatinga of Brazil

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

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

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (19) ◽  
pp. 4121-4133 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANTHONY CHASAR ◽  
CLAIRE LOISEAU ◽  
GEDIMINAS VALKIŪNAS ◽  
TATJANA IEZHOVA ◽  
THOMAS B. SMITH ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Parasites ◽  
Diversity Patterns ◽  
Avian Blood ◽  
Avian Blood Parasites

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

2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-77 ◽  
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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