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Al-Shorbaji F, Roche B, Britton R, Andreou D, Gozlan R. Influence of predation on community resilience to disease. J Anim Ecol 2017; 86:1147-1158. [PMID: 28758196 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Outbreaks of generalist pathogens are influenced by host community structure, including population density and species diversity. Within host communities predation can influence pathogen transmission rates, prevalence and impacts. However, the influence of predation on community resilience to outbreaks of generalist pathogens is not fully understood. The role of predation on host community resilience to disease was assessed using an epidemiological multi-host susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered model. Sphaerothecum destruens, an emerging fungal-like generalist pathogen, was used as a model pathogen. Six cyprinid and salmonid fishes, including an asymptomatic carrier, were selected as model hosts that are known to be impacted by S. destruens, and they were used within a model host community. Pathogen release into the host community was via introduction of the asymptomatic carrier. Mortality from infection, pathogen incubation rate, and host recovery rate were set to a range of evidence-based values in each species and were varied in secondary consumers to predict top-down effects of infection on the resilience of a host community. Predation pressure within the fish community was varied to test its effects on infection prevalence and host survival in the community. Model predictions suggested that predation of the asymptomatic hosts by fishes in the host community was insufficient to eliminate S. destruens. Sphaerothecum destruens persisted in the community due to its rapid transmission from the asymptomatic host to susceptible host fishes. Following transmission, pathogen prevalence in the community was driven by transmission within and between susceptible host fishes, indicating low host community resilience. However, introducing low densities of a highly specific piscivorous fish into the community to pre-date asymptomatic hosts could limit pathogen prevalence in the host community, thus increasing resilience. The model predictions indicate that whilst resilience to this generalist pathogen in the host community was low, this could be increased using management interventions. The results suggest that this model has high utility for predicting community resilience to disease and thus can be applied to other generalist parasites to determine risks of disease emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah Al-Shorbaji
- Bournemouth University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Dorset, UK
| | - Benjamin Roche
- Unit for Mathematical and Computer Modelling of Complex Systems, Institute of Research for Development, Montpellier, France.,Institut de Recherche pour le Développement UMR MIVEGEC IRD-CNRS-Université de Montpellier, Centre IRD de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Robert Britton
- Bournemouth University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Dorset, UK
| | - Demetra Andreou
- Bournemouth University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Dorset, UK
| | - Rodolphe Gozlan
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement UMR MIVEGEC IRD-CNRS-Université de Montpellier, Centre IRD de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Institut de Recherche pour le Développement UMR BOREA IRD-MNHN-Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris Cedex 5, France
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52
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Videvall E, Cornwallis CK, Ahrén D, Palinauskas V, Valkiūnas G, Hellgren O. The transcriptome of the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium ashfordi
displays host-specific gene expression. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:2939-2958. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elin Videvall
- Department of Biology; Lund University; Sölvegatan 37 SE-22362 Lund Sweden
| | | | - Dag Ahrén
- Department of Biology; Lund University; Sölvegatan 37 SE-22362 Lund Sweden
- National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden (NBIS); Lund University; Sölvegatan 37 SE-22362 Lund Sweden
| | - Vaidas Palinauskas
- Institute of Ecology; Nature Research Centre; Akademijos 2 LT-08412 Vilnius Lithuania
| | - Gediminas Valkiūnas
- Institute of Ecology; Nature Research Centre; Akademijos 2 LT-08412 Vilnius Lithuania
| | - Olof Hellgren
- Department of Biology; Lund University; Sölvegatan 37 SE-22362 Lund Sweden
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53
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Dobelmann J, Loope KJ, Wilson-Rankin E, Quinn O, Baty JW, Gruber MAM, Lester PJ. Fitness in invasive social wasps: the role of variation in viral load, immune response and paternity in predicting nest size and reproductive output. OIKOS 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.04117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kevin J. Loope
- Dept of Entomology; Univ. of California-Riverside; Riverside CA USA
| | | | - Oliver Quinn
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria Univ. of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
| | - James W. Baty
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria Univ. of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
- Malaghan Inst. of Medical Research; Wellington New Zealand
| | - Monica A. M. Gruber
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria Univ. of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
| | - Philip J. Lester
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria Univ. of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
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55
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Body Mass, Wing Length, and Condition of Wintering Ducks Relative to Hematozoa Infection. JOURNAL OF FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 2017. [DOI: 10.3996/082016-jfwm-063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Waterfowl managers lack information regarding factors that may be reducing the positive response of waterfowl body condition to habitat improvements. Protozoan blood parasites (i.e., hematozoa) are commonly found in birds and have been related to reduced body mass, wing length, and body condition. We studied relationships between 12 measures of hematozoa infection and body mass, wing length, and body mass divided by wing length (i.e., body condition index) of the five most common duck species (northern pintail [Anas acuta], mallard [A. platyrhynchos], green-winged teal [A. crecca], American wigeon [A. americana], northern shoveler [A. clypeata]) wintering in the Central Valley of California during October 2006–January 2007. After accounting for variation due to species, age–sex cohort, Central Valley region, and month, wing length, body mass, and body condition index were found to be negatively related to infection by Leucocytozoon and by “any hematozoa” but not related to infection by only Plasmodium or Haemoproteus, or coinfections of greater than one genus or parasite haplotype (albeit few ducks had Plasmodium or Haemoproteus infection or coinfections). Evidence of a negative relationship with infection was stronger for body mass and body condition index than for wing length and indicated that the relationships varied among species, age–sex cohorts, regions, and months. Compared with uninfected ducks, hematozoa-infected duck body mass, wing length, and body condition index was −1.63% (85% CI = −2.79% to −0.47%), −0.12% (−0.41% to 0.17%), and −1.38% (−2.49% to −0.26%), respectively. Although seemingly small, the −1.63% difference in body mass represents a large percentage (e.g., 38% for northern pintail) of the observed increase in wintering duck body mass associated with Central Valley habitat improvements. Because infection prevalence and relationship to body condition might change over time because of climate or other factors, tracking hematozoa infection prevalence might be important to inform and accurately assess the effect of conservation programs designed to improve waterfowl body condition.
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56
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Knutie SA, Herman JM, Owen JP, Clayton DH. Tri‐trophic ecology of native parasitic nest flies of birds in
T
obago. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Knutie
- Department of Biology University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
| | - Jordan M. Herman
- Department of Biology University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
| | - Jeb P. Owen
- Department of Entomology Washington State University Pullman Washington 99164 USA
| | - Dale H. Clayton
- Department of Biology University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
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57
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High rates of infection by blood parasites during the nestling phase in UK Columbids with notes on ecological associations. Parasitology 2016; 144:622-628. [PMID: 27938431 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182016002274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Studies of blood parasite infection in nestling birds rarely find a high prevalence of infection. This is likely due to a combination of short nestling periods (limiting the age at which nestlings can be sampled) and long parasite prepatent periods before gametocytes can be detected in peripheral blood. Here we examine rates of blood parasite infection in nestlings from three Columbid species in the UK. We use this system to address two key hypotheses in the epidemiology of avian haemoparasites: first, that nestlings in open nests have a higher prevalence of infection; and second, that nestlings sampled at 14 days old have a higher apparent infection rate than those sampled at 7 days old. Open-nesting individuals had a 54% infection rate compared with 25% for box-nesters, probably due to an increased exposure of open-nesting species to dipteran vectors. Nestlings sampled at 14 days had a 68% infection rate compared with 32% in nestlings sampled at 7 days, suggesting that rates of infection in the nest are high. Further work should examine nestlings post-fledging to identify rates of successful parasite infection (as opposed to abortive development within a dead-end host) as well as impacts on host post-fledging survival and behaviour.
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58
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Escallón C, Weinstein NM, Tallant JA, Wojtenek W, Rodríguez-Saltos CA, Bonaccorso E, Moore IT. Testosterone and Haemosporidian Parasites Along a Tropical Elevational Gradient in Rufous-Collared Sparrows (Zonotrichia capensis). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL GENETICS AND PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 325:501-510. [PMID: 27527346 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Elevation has been proposed as a dominant ecological variable shaping life history traits and subsequently their underlying hormonal mechanisms. In an earlier meta-analysis of tropical birds, elevation was positively related to testosterone levels. Furthermore, parasitism by avian haemosporidians should vary with elevation as environmental conditions affect vector abundance, and while testosterone is needed for breeding, it is hypothesized to be immunosuppressive and thus could exacerbate haemosporidian infection. Our objective in this study was to examine the relationships between elevation, testosterone levels, and parasitism by avian haemosporidians. We surveyed breeding male rufous-collared sparrows (Zonotrichia capensis) across a wide elevational range along the equator. We measured baseline testosterone levels, haemosporidian infection at four elevations spanning the species' natural range in the Ecuadorian Andes (600, 1500, 2100, 3300 m). Testosterone levels from breeding males were not related to elevation, but there was high intrapopulation variability. Testosterone levels were not related to the probability of parasitism, but our results from one population suggested that the likelihood of being infected by haemosporidian parasites was greater when in breeding condition. In conclusion, even though there is variation in life history strategies among the studied populations, wider divergence in seasonality and life history traits would probably be needed to detect an effect of elevation on testosterone if one exists. Additionally, our results show that variation in testosterone is not related to infection risk of haemosporidians, thus other factors that take a toll on energetic resources, such as reproduction, should be looked at more closely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Escallón
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia.
| | - Nicole M Weinstein
- VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - James A Tallant
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | | | | | - Elisa Bonaccorso
- Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb) e Ingenieriía en Biodiversidad y Recursos Genéticos, Facultad de Ciencias de Medio Ambiente, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Machala y Sabanilla, Cotocollao, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Ignacio T Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
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59
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Gilroy DL, van Oosterhout C, Komdeur J, Richardson DS. Toll-like receptor variation in the bottlenecked population of the endangered Seychelles warbler. Anim Conserv 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- D. L. Gilroy
- School of Biological Sciences; Norwich Research Park; University of East Anglia; Norwich UK
| | - C. van Oosterhout
- School of Environmental Sciences; Norwich Research Park; University of East Anglia; Norwich UK
| | - J. Komdeur
- Behavioural Ecology and Self-Organization; Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies; University of Groningen; Groningen The Netherlands
| | - D. S. Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences; Norwich Research Park; University of East Anglia; Norwich UK
- Nature Seychelles; Mahe Republic of Seychelles
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60
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Haemoproteus infection status of collared flycatcher males changes within a breeding season. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:4663-4672. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5258-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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61
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Hoye BJ, Munster VJ, Huig N, de Vries P, Oosterbeek K, Tijsen W, Klaassen M, Fouchier RAM, van Gils JA. Hampered performance of migratory swans: intra- and inter-seasonal effects of avian influenza virus. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:317-29. [PMID: 27252210 PMCID: PMC5007603 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The extent to which animal migrations shape parasite transmission networks is critically dependent on a migrant's ability to tolerate infection and migrate successfully. Yet, sub-lethal effects of parasites can be intensified through periods of increased physiological stress. Long-distance migrants may, therefore, be especially susceptible to negative effects of parasitic infection. Although a handful of studies have investigated the short-term, transmission-relevant behaviors of wild birds infected with low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIV), the ecological consequences of LPAIV for the hosts themselves remain largely unknown. Here, we assessed the potential effects of naturally-acquired LPAIV infections in Bewick's swans, a long-distance migratory species that experiences relatively low incidence of LPAIV infection during early winter. We monitored both foraging and movement behavior in the winter of infection, as well as subsequent breeding behavior and inter-annual resighting probability over 3 years. Incorporating data on infection history we hypothesized that any effects would be most apparent in naïve individuals experiencing their first LPAIV infection. Indeed, significant effects of infection were only seen in birds that were infected but lacked antibodies indicative of prior infection. Swans that were infected but had survived a previous infection were indistinguishable from uninfected birds in each of the ecological performance metrics. Despite showing reduced foraging rates, individuals in the naïve-infected category had similar accumulated body stores to re-infected and uninfected individuals prior to departure on spring migration, possibly as a result of having higher scaled mass at the time of infection. And yet individuals in the naïve-infected category were unlikely to be resighted 1 year after infection, with 6 out of 7 individuals that never resighted again compared to 20 out of 63 uninfected individuals and 5 out of 12 individuals in the re-infected category. Collectively, our findings indicate that acute and superficially harmless infection with LPAIV may have indirect effects on individual performance and recruitment in migratory Bewick's swans. Our results also highlight the potential for infection history to play an important role in shaping ecological constraints throughout the annual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany J Hoye
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vincent J Munster
- Department of Virosciences, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Naomi Huig
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter de Vries
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kees Oosterbeek
- SOVON Texel, Dutch Center for Field Ornithology, Den Burg (Texel), The Netherlands
| | - Wim Tijsen
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Klaassen
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ron A M Fouchier
- Department of Virosciences, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan A van Gils
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, and Utrecht University, Den Burg (Texel), The Netherlands
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Meixell BW, Arnold TW, Lindberg MS, Smith MM, Runstadler JA, Ramey AM. Detection, prevalence, and transmission of avian hematozoa in waterfowl at the Arctic/sub-Arctic interface: co-infections, viral interactions, and sources of variation. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:390. [PMID: 27387437 PMCID: PMC4936110 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1666-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The epidemiology of avian hematozoa at high latitudes is still not well understood, particularly in sub-Arctic and Arctic habitats, where information is limited regarding seasonality and range of transmission, co-infection dynamics with parasitic and viral agents, and possible fitness consequences of infection. Such information is important as climate warming may lead to northward expansion of hematozoa with unknown consequences to northern-breeding avian taxa, particularly populations that may be previously unexposed to blood parasites. METHODS We used molecular methods to screen blood samples and cloacal/oropharyngeal swabs collected from 1347 ducks of five species during May-August 2010, in interior Alaska, for the presence of hematozoa, Influenza A Virus (IAV), and IAV antibodies. Using models to account for imperfect detection of parasites, we estimated seasonal variation in prevalence of three parasite genera (Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon) and investigated how co-infection with parasites and viruses were related to the probability of infection. RESULTS We detected parasites from each hematozoan genus in adult and juvenile ducks of all species sampled. Seasonal patterns in detection and prevalence varied by parasite genus and species, age, and sex of duck hosts. The probabilities of infection for Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon parasites were strongly positively correlated, but hematozoa infection was not correlated with IAV infection or serostatus. The probability of Haemoproteus infection was negatively related to body condition in juvenile ducks; relationships between Leucocytozoon infection and body condition varied among host species. CONCLUSIONS We present prevalence estimates for Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Plasmodium infections in waterfowl at the interface of the sub-Arctic and Arctic and provide evidence for local transmission of all three parasite genera. Variation in prevalence and molecular detection of hematozoa parasites in wild ducks is influenced by seasonal timing and a number of host traits. A positive correlation in co-infection of Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus suggests that infection probability by parasites in one or both genera is enhanced by infection with the other, or that encounter rates of hosts and genus-specific vectors are correlated. Using size-adjusted mass as an index of host condition, we did not find evidence for strong deleterious consequences of hematozoa infection in wild ducks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandt W. Meixell
- />Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108 USA
- />U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
| | - Todd W. Arnold
- />Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108 USA
| | - Mark S. Lindberg
- />Institute of Arctic Biology and Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775 USA
| | - Matthew M. Smith
- />U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
| | - Jonathan A. Runstadler
- />Department of Biological Engineering and Division of Comparative Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Andrew M. Ramey
- />U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
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63
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Clark NJ, Clegg SM, Klaassen M. Migration strategy and pathogen risk: non-breeding distribution drives malaria prevalence in migratory waders. OIKOS 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.03220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J. Clark
- Environmental Futures Research Inst., School of Environment, Griffith Univ.; Gold Coast Campus QLD 4222 Australia
- Natural Environments Program, Queensland Museum; PO Box 3300 South Brisbane Queensland 4101 Australia
| | - Sonya M. Clegg
- Environmental Futures Research Inst., School of Environment, Griffith Univ.; Gold Coast Campus QLD 4222 Australia
- Edward Grey Inst., Dept of Zoology, Univ. of Oxford; Oxford OX1 3PS UK
| | - Marcel Klaassen
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin Univ.; Geelong VIC Australia
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64
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Levin II, Colborn RE, Kim D, Perlut NG, Renfrew RB, Parker PG. Local parasite lineage sharing in temperate grassland birds provides clues about potential origins of Galapagos avian Plasmodium. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:716-26. [PMID: 26865960 PMCID: PMC4739572 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Revised: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Oceanic archipelagos are vulnerable to natural introduction of parasites via migratory birds. Our aim was to characterize the geographic origins of two Plasmodium parasite lineages detected in the Galapagos Islands and in North American breeding bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) that regularly stop in Galapagos during migration to their South American overwintering sites. We used samples from a grassland breeding bird assemblage in Nebraska, United States, and parasite DNA sequences from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, to compare to global data in a DNA sequence registry. Homologous DNA sequences from parasites detected in bobolinks and more sedentary birds (e.g., brown‐headed cowbirds Molothrus ater, and other co‐occurring bird species resident on the North American breeding grounds) were compared to those recovered in previous studies from global sites. One parasite lineage that matched between Galapagos birds and the migratory bobolink, Plasmodium lineage B, was the most common lineage detected in the global MalAvi database, matching 49 sequences from unique host/site combinations, 41 of which were of South American origin. We did not detect lineage B in brown‐headed cowbirds. The other Galapagos‐bobolink match, Plasmodium lineage C, was identical to two other sequences from birds sampled in California. We detected a close variant of lineage C in brown‐headed cowbirds. Taken together, this pattern suggests that bobolinks became infected with lineage B on the South American end of their migratory range, and with lineage C on the North American breeding grounds. Overall, we detected more parasite lineages in bobolinks than in cowbirds. Galapagos Plasmodium had similar host breadth compared to the non‐Galapagos haemosporidian lineages detected in bobolinks, brown‐headed cowbirds, and other grassland species. This study highlights the utility of global haemosporidian data in the context of migratory bird–parasite connectivity. It is possible that migratory bobolinks bring parasites to the Galapagos and that these parasites originate from different biogeographic regions representing both their breeding and overwintering sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris I Levin
- Department of Biology University of Missouri - St. Louis One University Blvd.St. Louis Missouri 63121; Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center University of Missouri - St. Louis One University Blvd.St. Louis Missouri 63121; Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute One Government Dr.St. Louis Missouri 63110
| | - Rachel E Colborn
- Department of Biology University of Missouri - St. Louis One University Blvd. St. Louis Missouri 63121
| | - Daniel Kim
- Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust 6611 W. Whooping Crane Dr. Wood River Nebraska 68883
| | - Noah G Perlut
- Department of Environmental Studies University of New England 11 Hills Beach Road Biddeford Maine 04005
| | | | - Patricia G Parker
- Department of Biology University of Missouri - St. Louis One University Blvd.St. Louis Missouri 63121; Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center University of Missouri - St. Louis One University Blvd.St. Louis Missouri 63121; Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute One Government Dr.St. Louis Missouri 63110
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65
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Jenkins T, Delhaye J, Christe P. Testing Local Adaptation in a Natural Great Tit-Malaria System: An Experimental Approach. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141391. [PMID: 26555892 PMCID: PMC4640884 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding out whether Plasmodium spp. are coevolving with their vertebrate hosts is of both theoretical and applied interest and can influence our understanding of the effects and dynamics of malaria infection. In this study, we tested for local adaptation as a signature of coevolution between malaria blood parasites, Plasmodium spp. and its host, the great tit, Parus major. We conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment of birds in the field, where we exposed birds from two populations to Plasmodium parasites. This experimental set-up also provided a unique opportunity to study the natural history of malaria infection in the wild and to assess the effects of primary malaria infection on juvenile birds. We present three main findings: i) there was no support for local adaptation; ii) there was a male-biased infection rate; iii) infection occurred towards the end of the summer and differed between sites. There were also site-specific effects of malaria infection on the hosts. Taken together, we present one of the few experimental studies of parasite-host local adaptation in a natural malaria system, and our results shed light on the effects of avian malaria infection in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Jenkins
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jessica Delhaye
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Christe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Sapsford SJ, Voordouw MJ, Alford RA, Schwarzkopf L. Infection dynamics in frog populations with different histories of decline caused by a deadly disease. Oecologia 2015; 179:1099-110. [PMID: 26293680 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3422-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Pathogens can drive host population dynamics. Chytridiomycosis is a fungal disease of amphibians that is caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). This pathogen has caused declines and extinctions in some host species whereas other host species coexist with Bd without suffering declines. In the early 1990s, Bd extirpated populations of the endangered common mistfrog, Litoria rheocola, at high-elevation sites, while populations of the species persisted at low-elevation sites. Today, populations have reappeared at many high-elevation sites where they presently co-exist with the fungus. We conducted a capture-mark-recapture (CMR) study of six populations of L. rheocola over 1 year, at high and low elevations. We used multistate CMR models to determine which factors (Bd infection status, site type, and season) influenced rates of frog survival, recapture, infection, and recovery from infection. We observed Bd-induced mortality of individual frogs, but did not find any significant effect of Bd infection on the survival rate of L. rheocola at the population level. Survival and recapture rates depended on site type and season. Infection rate was highest in winter when temperatures were favourable for pathogen growth, and differed among site types. The recovery rate was high (75.7-85.8%) across seasons, and did not differ among site types. The coexistence of L. rheocola with Bd suggests that (1) frog populations are becoming resistant to the fungus, (2) Bd may have evolved lower virulence, or (3) current environmental conditions may be inhibiting outbreaks of the fatal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Sapsford
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia. .,School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia.
| | | | - Ross A Alford
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
| | - Lin Schwarzkopf
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
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Pigeault R, Vézilier J, Cornet S, Zélé F, Nicot A, Perret P, Gandon S, Rivero A. Avian malaria: a new lease of life for an old experimental model to study the evolutionary ecology of Plasmodium. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2015; 370:20140300. [PMID: 26150666 PMCID: PMC4528498 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Avian malaria has historically played an important role as a model in the study of human malaria, being a stimulus for the development of medical parasitology. Avian malaria has recently come back to the research scene as a unique animal model to understand the ecology and evolution of the disease, both in the field and in the laboratory. Avian malaria is highly prevalent in birds and mosquitoes around the world and is amenable to laboratory experimentation at each stage of the parasite's life cycle. Here, we take stock of 5 years of experimental laboratory research carried out using Plasmodium relictum SGS1, the most prevalent avian malaria lineage in Europe, and its natural vector, the mosquito Culex pipiens. For this purpose, we compile and analyse data obtained in our laboratory in 14 different experiments. We provide statistical relationships between different infection-related parameters, including parasitaemia, gametocytaemia, host morbidity (anaemia) and transmission rates to mosquitoes. This analysis provides a wide-ranging picture of the within-host and between-host parameters that may bear on malaria transmission and epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Pigeault
- MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS 5290), Montpellier, France CEFE (UMR CNRS 5175), Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Flore Zélé
- Centre for Environmental Biology, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Antoine Nicot
- MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS 5290), Montpellier, France CEFE (UMR CNRS 5175), Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Ana Rivero
- MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS 5290), Montpellier, France
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68
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Bell JA, Weckstein JD, Fecchio A, Tkach VV. A new real-time PCR protocol for detection of avian haemosporidians. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:383. [PMID: 26187629 PMCID: PMC4506571 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0993-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Birds possess the most diverse assemblage of haemosporidian parasites; including three genera, Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon. Currently there are over 200 morphologically identified avian haemosporidian species, although true species richness is unknown due to great genetic diversity and insufficient sampling in highly diverse regions. Studies aimed at surveying haemosporidian diversity involve collecting and screening samples from hundreds to thousands of individuals. Currently, screening relies on microscopy and/or single or nested standard PCR. Although effective, these methods are time and resource consuming, and in the case of microscopy require substantial expertise. Here we report a newly developed real-time PCR protocol designed to quickly and reliably detect all three genera of avian haemosporidians in a single biochemical reaction. METHODS Using available DNA sequences from avian haemosporidians we designed primers R330F and R480RL, which flank a 182 base pair fragment of mitochondrial conserved rDNA. These primers were initially tested using real-time PCR on samples from Malawi, Africa, previously screened for avian haemosporidians using traditional nested PCR. Our real time protocol was further tested on 94 samples from the Cerrado biome of Brazil, previously screened using a single PCR assay for haemosporidian parasites. These samples were also amplified using modified nested PCR protocols, allowing for comparisons between the three different screening methods (single PCR, nested PCR, real-time PCR). RESULTS The real-time PCR protocol successfully identified all three genera of avian haemosporidians from both single and mixed infections previously detected from Malawi. There was no significant difference between the three different screening protocols used for the 94 samples from the Brazilian Cerrado (χ(2) = 0.3429, df = 2, P = 0.842). After proving effective, the real-time protocol was used to screen 2113 Brazilian samples, identifying 693 positive samples. CONCLUSIONS Our real-time PCR assay proved as effective as two widely used molecular screening techniques, single PCR and nested PCR. However, the real-time protocol has the distinct advantage of detecting all three genera in a single reaction, which significantly increases efficiency by greatly decreasing screening time and cost. Our real-time PCR protocol is therefore a valuable tool in the quickly expanding field of avian haemosporidian research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Bell
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, 10 Cornell Street STOP 9019, Grand Forks, ND, 58202, USA.
| | - Jason D Weckstein
- Department of Ornithology and Department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, USA.
| | - Alan Fecchio
- Department of Ornithology and Department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, USA.
| | - Vasyl V Tkach
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, 10 Cornell Street STOP 9019, Grand Forks, ND, 58202, USA.
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69
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Crates RA, Sheldon BC, Garroway CJ. Causes and consequences of individual variation in the extent of post-juvenile moult in the blue titCyanistes caeruleus(Passeriformes: Paridae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ross A. Crates
- Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
- Fenner School of Environment and Society; Australian National University; Canberra ACT 0200 Australia
| | - Ben C. Sheldon
- Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
| | - Colin J. Garroway
- Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
- Département de Sciences Biologiques; Université de Montréal; Montréal QC H2V 2S9 Canada
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Samuel MD, Woodworth BL, Atkinson CT, Hart PJ, LaPointe DA. Avian malaria in Hawaiian forest birds: infection and population impacts across species and elevations. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es14-00393.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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71
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Merrill L, González-Gómez PL, Ellis VA, Levin II, Vásquez RA, Wingfield JC. A blurring of life-history lines: Immune function, molt and reproduction in a highly stable environment. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2015; 213:65-73. [PMID: 25712433 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 02/14/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Rufous-collared sparrows (Zonotrichia capensis peruviensis) from valleys in the Atacama Desert of Chile, live in an extremely stable environment, and exhibit overlap in molt and reproduction, with valley-specific differences in the proportion of birds engaged in both. To better understand the mechanistic pathways underlying the timing of life-history transitions, we examined the relationships among baseline and stress-induced levels of corticosterone (CORT), testosterone, and bacteria-killing ability of the blood plasma (BKA), as well as haemosporidian parasite infections and the genetic structure of two groups of sparrows from separate valleys over the course of a year. Birds neither molting nor breeding had the lowest BKA, but there were no differences among the other three categories of molt-reproductive stage. BKA varied over the year, with birds in May/June exhibiting significantly lower levels of BKA than the rest of the year. We also documented differences in the direction of the relationship between CORT and BKA at different times during the year. The direction of these relationships coincides with some trends in molt and reproductive stage, but differs enough to indicate that these birds exhibit individual-level plasticity, or population-level variability, in coordinating hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis activity with life-history stage. We found weak preliminary evidence for genetic differentiation between the two populations, but not enough to indicate genetic isolation. No birds were infected with haemosporidia, which may be indicative of reduced parasite pressure in deserts. The data suggest that these birds may not trade off among different life-history components, but rather are able to invest in multiple life-history components based on their condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren Merrill
- Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61820, USA.
| | | | - Vincenzo A Ellis
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA.
| | - Iris I Levin
- Department of Biology, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA 50112, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA(1).
| | - Rodrigo A Vásquez
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, IEB, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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72
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Sepil I, Radersma R, Santure AW, De Cauwer I, Slate J, Sheldon BC. No evidence for MHC class I-based disassortative mating in a wild population of great tits. J Evol Biol 2015; 28:642-54. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Revised: 01/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- I. Sepil
- Department of Zoology; Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; Oxford UK
| | - R. Radersma
- Department of Zoology; Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; Oxford UK
| | - A. W. Santure
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences; University of Sheffield; Sheffield UK
- School of Biological Sciences; The University of Auckland; Auckland New Zealand
| | - I. De Cauwer
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences; University of Sheffield; Sheffield UK
- Laboratoire de Génétique et Evolution des Populations Végétales; UMR CNRS 8198; Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille-Lille 1; Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex France
| | - J. Slate
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences; University of Sheffield; Sheffield UK
| | - B. C. Sheldon
- Department of Zoology; Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; Oxford UK
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73
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Voordouw MJ, Lachish S, Dolan MC. The lyme disease pathogen has no effect on the survival of its rodent reservoir host. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118265. [PMID: 25688863 PMCID: PMC4331372 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Zoonotic pathogens that cause devastating morbidity and mortality in humans may be relatively harmless in their natural reservoir hosts. The tick-borne bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease in humans but few studies have investigated whether this pathogen reduces the fitness of its reservoir hosts under natural conditions. We analyzed four years of capture-mark-recapture (CMR) data on a population of white-footed mice, Peromyscus leucopus, to test whether B. burgdorferi and its tick vector affect the survival of this important reservoir host. We used a multi-state CMR approach to model mouse survival and mouse infection rates as a function of a variety of ecologically relevant explanatory factors. We found no effect of B. burgdorferi infection or tick burden on the survival of P. leucopus. Our estimates of the probability of infection varied by an order of magnitude (0.051 to 0.535) and were consistent with our understanding of Lyme disease in the Northeastern United States. B. burgdorferi establishes a chronic avirulent infection in their rodent reservoir hosts because this pathogen depends on rodent mobility to achieve transmission to its sedentary tick vector. The estimates of B. burgdorferi infection risk will facilitate future theoretical studies on the epidemiology of Lyme disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten J. Voordouw
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Shelly Lachish
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Marc C. Dolan
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Enteric and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
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MOLECULAR DETECTION OFPLASMODIUMIN FREE-RANGING BIRDS AND CAPTIVE FLAMINGOS (PHOENICOPTERUS CHILENSIS) IN CHICAGO. J Zoo Wildl Med 2014; 45:749-54. [DOI: 10.1638/2013-0284.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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75
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Fourcade Y, Keišs O, Richardson DS, Secondi J. Continental-scale patterns of pathogen prevalence: a case study on the corncrake. Evol Appl 2014; 7:1043-55. [PMID: 25553066 PMCID: PMC4231594 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2014] [Accepted: 07/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogen infections can represent a substantial threat to wild populations, especially those already limited in size. To determine how much variation in the pathogens observed among fragmented populations is caused by ecological factors, one needs to examine systems where host genetic diversity is consistent among the populations, thus controlling for any potentially confounding genetic effects. Here, we report geographic variation in haemosporidian infection among European populations of corncrake. This species now occurs in fragmented populations, but there is little genetic structure and equally high levels of genetic diversity among these populations. We observed a longitudinal gradient of prevalence from western to Eastern Europe negatively correlated with national agricultural yield, but positively correlated with corncrake census population sizes when only the most widespread lineage is considered. This likely reveals a possible impact of local agriculture intensity, which reduced host population densities in Western Europe and, potentially, insect vector abundance, thus reducing the transmission of pathogens. We conclude that in the corncrake system, where metapopulation dynamics resulted in variations in local census population sizes, but not in the genetic impoverishment of these populations, anthropogenic activity has led to a reduction in host populations and pathogen prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoan Fourcade
- Université d'Angers, GECCOAngers, France
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Biological Sciences, University of East AngliaNorwich, UK
| | - Oskars Keišs
- Laboratory of Ornithology, Institute of Biology, University of LatviaSalaspils, Latvia
| | - David S Richardson
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Biological Sciences, University of East AngliaNorwich, UK
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76
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Medeiros MCI, Ellis VA, Ricklefs RE. Specialized avian Haemosporida trade reduced host breadth for increased prevalence. J Evol Biol 2014; 27:2520-8. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Revised: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. C. I. Medeiros
- Department of Biology; University of Missouri-St. Louis; One University Boulevard; St. Louis MO USA
| | - V. A. Ellis
- Department of Biology; University of Missouri-St. Louis; One University Boulevard; St. Louis MO USA
| | - R. E. Ricklefs
- Department of Biology; University of Missouri-St. Louis; One University Boulevard; St. Louis MO USA
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77
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Degree of associations among vectors of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and host bird species with respect to haemosporidian parasites in NE Bulgaria. Parasitol Res 2014; 113:4505-11. [PMID: 25280514 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-014-4140-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Accepted: 09/23/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The occurrence of haemosporidians in biting midges of the genus Culicoides is examined in North-East Bulgaria in order to reveal their potential role for parasite transmission. A PCR-based technique amplifying part of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of the parasite is applied on naturally infected biting midges. Totally, 640 parous individuals of four species and 95 blood-fed individuals of six species of Culicoides are examined for the presence of DNA of haemosporidians. Haemosporidian genetic lineages are identified in individuals of three insect species: Culicoides alazanicus (12 lineages, nine lineages of Haemoproteus and three lineages of Plasmodium), Culicoides festivipennis and Culicoides circumscriptus (with two and one lineages of Haemoproteus, respectively). Two genetic lineages of Haemoproteus are recorded in more than one vector species. These results demonstrate variations in the specificity of Haemoproteus genetic lineages to their potential vectors, since some lineages are recorded in a single vector species and others occur in two or more vector species.
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78
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Ferrer ES, García-Navas V, Sanz JJ, Ortego J. Individual genetic diversity and probability of infection by avian malaria parasites in blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). J Evol Biol 2014; 27:2468-82. [PMID: 25264126 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2014] [Accepted: 09/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the importance of host genetic diversity for coping with parasites and infectious diseases is a long-standing goal in evolutionary biology. Here, we study the association between probability of infection by avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum) and individual genetic diversity in three blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) populations that strongly differ in prevalence of this parasite. For this purpose, we screened avian malaria infections and genotyped 789 blue tits across 26 microsatellite markers. We used two different arrays of markers: 14 loci classified as neutral and 12 loci classified as putatively functional. We found a significant relationship between probability of infection and host genetic diversity estimated at the subset of neutral markers that was not explained by strong local effects and did not differ among the studied populations. This relationship was not linear, and probability of infection increased up to values of homozygosity by locus (HL) around 0.15, reached a plateau at values of HL from 0.15 to 0.40 and finally declined among a small proportion of highly homozygous individuals (HL > 0.4). We did not find evidence for significant identity disequilibrium, which may have resulted from a low variance of inbreeding in the study populations and/or the small power of our set of markers to detect it. A combination of subtle positive and negative local effects and/or a saturation threshold in the association between probability of infection and host genetic diversity in combination with increased resistance to parasites in highly homozygous individuals may explain the observed negative quadratic relationship. Overall, our study highlights that parasites play an important role in shaping host genetic variation and suggests that the use of large sets of neutral markers may be more appropriate for the study of heterozygosity-fitness correlations.
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Affiliation(s)
- E S Ferrer
- Grupo de Investigación de la Biodiversidad Genética y Cultural, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos - IREC (CSIC, UCLM, JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain; Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Bioquímica, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
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79
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Medeiros MCI, Anderson TK, Higashiguchi JM, Kitron UD, Walker ED, Brawn JD, Krebs BL, Ruiz MO, Goldberg TL, Ricklefs RE, Hamer GL. An inverse association between West Nile virus serostatus and avian malaria infection status. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:415. [PMID: 25178911 PMCID: PMC4262112 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 08/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Various ecological and physiological mechanisms might influence the probability that two or more pathogens may simultaneously or sequentially infect a host individual. Concurrent infections can have important consequences for host condition and fitness, including elevated mortality risks. In addition, interactions between coinfecting pathogens may have important implications for transmission dynamics. Methods Here, we explore patterns of association between two common avian pathogens (West Nile virus and avian malaria parasites) among a suburban bird community in Chicago, IL, USA that share mosquito vectors. We surveyed 1714 individual birds across 13 species for both pathogens through established molecular protocols. Results Field investigations of haemosporidian and West Nile virus (WNV) infections among sampled birds yielded an inverse association between WNV serostatus and Plasmodium infection status. This relationship occurred in adult birds but not in juveniles. There was no evidence for a relationship between Haemoproteus infection and WNV serostatus. We detected similar prevalence of Plasmodium among birds captured with active WNV infections and spatiotemporally paired WNV-naïve individuals of the same species, demonstrating that the two pathogens can co-infect hosts. Conclusions Mechanisms explaining the negative association between WNV serostatus and Plasmodium infection status remain unclear and must be resolved through experimental infection procedures. However, our results highlight potential interactions between two common avian pathogens that may influence their transmission among hosts. This is especially relevant considering that West Nile virus is a common zoonotic pathogen with public health implications. Moreover, both pathogens are instructive models in infectious disease ecology, and infection with either has fitness consequences for their avian hosts. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1756-3305-7-415) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C I Medeiros
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St, Louis, One University Boulevard, St, Louis, MO 63121, USA.
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Fieberg JR, Conn PB. A hidden Markov model to identify and adjust for selection bias: an example involving mixed migration strategies. Ecol Evol 2014; 4:1903-12. [PMID: 24963384 PMCID: PMC4063483 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Revised: 03/12/2014] [Accepted: 03/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
An important assumption in observational studies is that sampled individuals are representative of some larger study population. Yet, this assumption is often unrealistic. Notable examples include online public-opinion polls, publication biases associated with statistically significant results, and in ecology, telemetry studies with significant habitat-induced probabilities of missed locations. This problem can be overcome by modeling selection probabilities simultaneously with other predictor–response relationships or by weighting observations by inverse selection probabilities. We illustrate the problem and a solution when modeling mixed migration strategies of northern white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Captures occur on winter yards where deer migrate in response to changing environmental conditions. Yet, not all deer migrate in all years, and captures during mild years are more likely to target deer that migrate every year (i.e., obligate migrators). Characterizing deer as conditional or obligate migrators is also challenging unless deer are observed for many years and under a variety of winter conditions. We developed a hidden Markov model where the probability of capture depends on each individual's migration strategy (conditional versus obligate migrator), a partially latent variable that depends on winter severity in the year of capture. In a 15-year study, involving 168 white-tailed deer, the estimated probability of migrating for conditional migrators increased nonlinearly with an index of winter severity. We estimated a higher proportion of obligates in the study cohort than in the population, except during a span of 3 years surrounding back-to-back severe winters. These results support the hypothesis that selection biases occur as a result of capturing deer on winter yards, with the magnitude of bias depending on the severity of winter weather. Hidden Markov models offer an attractive framework for addressing selection biases due to their ability to incorporate latent variables and model direct and indirect links between state variables and capture probabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Fieberg
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota St. Paul, Minnesota, 55108
| | - Paul B Conn
- National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, Washington, 98115
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Distribution, prevalence and host specificity of avian malaria parasites across the breeding range of the migratory lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus). Genetica 2014; 142:235-49. [PMID: 24880788 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-014-9770-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) is a ground-nesting passerine that breeds across much of the central North American steppe and sand barrens. Through genotyping and sequencing of avian malaria parasites we examined levels of malaria prevalence and determined the distribution of Haemoproteus and Plasmodium lineages across the breeding range of the lark sparrow. Analysis of 365 birds collected from five breeding locations revealed relatively high levels of malaria prevalence in adults (80 %) and juveniles (46 %), with infections being primarily of Haemoproteus (91 % of sequenced samples). Levels of genetic diversity and genetic structure of malaria parasites with respect to the avian host populations revealed distinct patterns for Haemoproteus and Plasmodium, most likely as a result of their distinct life histories, host specificity, and transmission vectors. With the exception of one common Haemoproteus haplotype detected in all populations, all other haplotypes were either population-specific or shared by two to three populations. A hierarchical analysis of molecular variance of Haemoproteus sequences revealed that 15-18 % of the genetic variation can be explained by differences among host populations/locations (p < 0.001). In contrast to the regional patterns of genetic differentiation detected for the lark sparrow populations, Haemoproteus parasites showed high levels of population-specific variation and no significant differences among regions, which suggests that the population dynamics of the parasites may be driven by evolutionary processes operating at small spatial scales (e.g., at the level of host populations). These results highlight the potential effects of host population structure on the demographic and evolutionary dynamics of parasites.
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82
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García-Longoria L, Garamszegi LZ, Møller AP. Host escape behavior and blood parasite infections in birds. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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83
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Santoro S, Pacios I, Moreno S, Bertó-Moran A, Rouco C. Multi-event capture-recapture modeling of host-pathogen dynamics among European rabbit populations exposed to myxoma and Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Viruses: common and heterogeneous patterns. Vet Res 2014; 45:39. [PMID: 24708296 PMCID: PMC4021418 DOI: 10.1186/1297-9716-45-39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 03/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Host-pathogen epidemiological processes are often unclear due both to their complexity and over-simplistic approaches used to quantify them. We applied a multi-event capture-recapture procedure on two years of data from three rabbit populations to test hypotheses about the effects on survival of, and the dynamics of host immunity to, both myxoma virus and Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (MV and RHDV). Although the populations shared the same climatic and management conditions, MV and RHDV dynamics varied greatly among them; MV and RHDV seroprevalences were positively related to density in one population, but RHDV seroprevalence was negatively related to density in another. In addition, (i) juvenile survival was most often negatively related to seropositivity, (ii) RHDV seropositives never had considerably higher survival, and (iii) seroconversion to seropositivity was more likely than the reverse. We suggest seropositivity affects survival depending on trade-offs among antibody protection, immunosuppression and virus lethality. Negative effects of seropositivity might be greater on juveniles due to their immature immune system. Also, while RHDV directly affects survival through the hemorrhagic syndrome, MV lack of direct lethal effects means that interactions influencing survival are likely to be more complex. Multi-event modeling allowed us to quantify patterns of host-pathogen dynamics otherwise difficult to discern. Such an approach offers a promising tool to shed light on causative mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Carlos Rouco
- Ethology and Biodiversity Conservation Department, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, Américo Vespucio s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain.
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84
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Abstract
Avian malaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium have the ability to cause morbidity and mortality in naïve hosts, and their impact on the native biodiversity is potentially serious. Over the last decade, avian malaria has aroused increasing interest as an emerging disease in New Zealand with some endemic avian species, such as the endangered mohua (Mohua ochrocephala), thought to be particularly susceptible. To date, avian malaria parasites have been found in 35 different bird species in New Zealand and have been diagnosed as causing death in threatened species such as dotterel (Charadrius obscurus), South Island saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus carunculatus), mohua, hihi (Notiomystis cincta) and two species of kiwi (Apteryx spp.). Introduced blackbirds (Turdus merula) have been found to be carriers of at least three strains of Plasmodium spp. and because they are very commonly infected, they are likely sources of infection for many of New Zealand's endemic birds. The spread and abundance of introduced and endemic mosquitoes as the result of climate change is also likely to be an important factor in the high prevalence of infection in some regions and at certain times of the year. Although still limited, there is a growing understanding of the ecology and epidemiology of Plasmodium spp. in New Zealand. Molecular biology has played an important part in this process and has markedly improved our understanding of the taxonomy of the genus Plasmodium. This review presents our current state of knowledge, discusses the possible infection and disease outcomes, the implications for host behaviour and reproduction, methods of diagnosis of infection, and the possible vectors for transmission of the disease in New Zealand.
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Affiliation(s)
- E R Schoener
- a Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences , Massey University , Palmerston North , New Zealand
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85
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Lüdtke B, Moser I, Santiago-Alarcon D, Fischer M, Kalko EKV, Schaefer HM, Suarez-Rubio M, Tschapka M, Renner SC. Associations of forest type, parasitism and body condition of two European passerines, Fringilla coelebs and Sylvia atricapilla. PLoS One 2013; 8:e81395. [PMID: 24339923 PMCID: PMC3855328 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2013] [Accepted: 10/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-induced forest modification can alter parasite-host interactions and might change the persistence of host populations. We captured individuals of two widespread European passerines (Fringilla coelebs and Sylvia atricapilla) in southwestern Germany to disentangle the associations of forest types and parasitism by haemosporidian parasites on the body condition of birds. We compared parasite prevalence and parasite intensity, fluctuating asymmetries, leukocyte numbers, and the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H/L-ratio) among individuals from beech, mixed-deciduous and spruce forest stands. Based on the biology of bird species, we expected to find fewer infected individuals in beech or mixed-deciduous than in spruce forest stands. We found the highest parasite prevalence and intensity in beech forests for F. coelebs. Although, we found the highest prevalence in spruce forests for S. atricapilla, the highest intensity was detected in beech forests, partially supporting our hypothesis. Other body condition or health status metrics, such as the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H/L-ratio), revealed only slight differences between bird populations inhabiting the three different forest types, with the highest values in spruce for F. coelebs and in mixed-deciduous forests for S. atricapilla. A comparison of parasitized versus non-parasitized individuals suggests that parasite infection increased the immune response of a bird, which was detectable as high H/L-ratio. Higher infections with blood parasites for S. atricapilla in spruce forest indicate that this forest type might be a less suitable habitat than beech and mixed-deciduous forests, whereas beech forests seem to be a suboptimal habitat regarding parasitism for F. coelebs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruntje Lüdtke
- Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Institute for Zoology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Markus Fischer
- Institute of Plant Sciences and Botanical Garden, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Elisabeth KV. Kalko
- Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Bilbao, Panama
| | | | - Marcela Suarez-Rubio
- Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marco Tschapka
- Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Bilbao, Panama
| | - Swen C. Renner
- Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Center, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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86
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Knowles SCL, Wood MJ, Alves R, Sheldon BC. Dispersal in a patchy landscape reveals contrasting determinants of infection in a wild avian malaria system. J Anim Ecol 2013; 83:429-39. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2013] [Accepted: 09/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C. L. Knowles
- Department of Zoology; Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology; Imperial College London; St Mary's Campus, Norfolk Place London W2 1PG UK
| | - Matthew J. Wood
- Department of Zoology; Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
- Department of Natural and Social Sciences; University of Gloucestershire; Francis Close Hall Cheltenham GL50 4AZ UK
| | - Ricardo Alves
- Department of Zoology; Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
| | - Ben C. Sheldon
- Department of Zoology; Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
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87
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Culina A, Lachish S, Pradel R, Choquet R, Sheldon BC. A multievent approach to estimating pair fidelity and heterogeneity in state transitions. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:4326-38. [PMID: 24340175 PMCID: PMC3856734 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2013] [Revised: 07/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Fidelity rates of pair-bonded individuals are of considerable interest to behavioral and population biologists as they can influence population structure, mating rates, population productivity, and gene flow. Estimates of fidelity rates calculated from direct observations of pairs in consecutive breeding seasons may be biased because (i) individuals that are not seen are assumed to be dead, (ii) variation in the detectability of individuals is ignored, and (iii) pair status must be known with certainty. This can lead to a high proportion of observations being ignored. This approach also restricts the way variation in fidelity rates for different types of individuals, or the covariation between fidelity and other vital rates (e.g., survival) can be analyzed. In this study, we develop a probabilistic multievent capture–mark–recapture (MECMR) modeling framework for estimating pair fidelity rates that accounts for imperfect detection rates and capture heterogeneity, explicitly incorporates uncertainty in the assessment of pair status, and allows estimates of state-dependent survival and fidelity rates to be obtained simultaneously. We demonstrate the utility of our approach for investigating patterns of fidelity in pair-bonded individuals, by applying it to 30 years of breeding data from a wild population of great tits Parus major Linnaeus. Results of model selection supported state-dependent recapture, survival, and fidelity rates. Recapture rates were higher for individuals breeding with their previous partner than for those breeding with a different partner. Faithful birds that were breeding with the same partner as in the previous breeding season (i.e., at t − 1) experienced substantially higher survival rates (between t and t + 1) and were also more likely to remain faithful to their current partner (i.e., to remain in the faithful state at t + 1). First year breeders were more likely to change partner than older birds. These findings imply that traditional estimates, which do not account for state-dependent parameters, may be both inaccurate and biased, and hence, inferences based on them may conceal important biological effects. This was demonstrated in the analysis of simulated capture histories, which showed that our MECMR model was able to estimate state-dependant survival and pair fidelity rates in the face of varying state-dependant recapture rates robustly, and more accurately, than the traditional method. In addition, this new modeling approach provides a statistically rigorous framework for testing hypothesis about the causes and consequences of fidelity to a partner for natural populations. The novel modeling approach described here can readily be applied, either in its current form or via extension, to other populations and other types of dyadic interactions (e.g., between nonpaired individuals, such as parent–offspring relationships, or between individuals and locations, such as nest-site fidelity).
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Affiliation(s)
- Antica Culina
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, U.K
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88
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Soler JJ, Martín-Gálvez D, de Neve L, Soler M. Brood parasitism correlates with the strength of spatial autocorrelation of life history and defensive traits in Magpies. Ecology 2013; 94:1338-46. [PMID: 23923497 DOI: 10.1890/12-1350.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Environmental characteristics of neighboring locations are generally more similar than those of distant locations. Selection pressures due to parasitism and other environmental conditions shape life history traits of hosts; thus, the probability of parasitism should be associated with the strength of spatial autocorrelation in life history and defensive traits of their hosts. Here we test this hypothesis in three different subpopulations of Magpie (Pica pica) parasitized by the Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) during three breeding seasons. In some of the years and study plots, we found evidence of positive spatial autocorrelations for clutch size and parasitism rate, but not for laying date. As predicted, brood parasitism was associated with the strength of these spatial autocorrelations. Magpies that bred close to each other in areas of high risk of parasitism responded similarly to experimental parasitic eggs. Moreover, an elevated risk of parasitism eliminated the spatial autocorrelation for clutch size, which became randomly distributed. We discuss possible mechanisms explaining these associations, which may have important consequences for estimating evolutionary responses of hosts to parasitic infections and, therefore, for epidemiological, ecological, and evolutionary studies of host-parasite relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J Soler
- Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Aridas (CSIC), E-4120 Almeria, Spain.
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89
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Cornet S, Bichet C, Larcombe S, Faivre B, Sorci G. Impact of host nutritional status on infection dynamics and parasite virulence in a bird-malaria system. J Anim Ecol 2013; 83:256-65. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2012] [Accepted: 06/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Cornet
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique; Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC); UMR CNRS 5290-IRD 224-UM1-UM2; Montpellier France
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE); UMR CNRS 5175; Montpellier France
| | - Coraline Bichet
- Biogéosciences; UMR CNRS 6282; Université de Bourgogne; Dijon France
| | - Stephen Larcombe
- Edward Grey Institute; Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; Oxford UK
| | - Bruno Faivre
- Biogéosciences; UMR CNRS 6282; Université de Bourgogne; Dijon France
| | - Gabriele Sorci
- Biogéosciences; UMR CNRS 6282; Université de Bourgogne; Dijon France
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90
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Garroway CJ, Radersma R, Sepil I, Santure AW, De Cauwer I, Slate J, Sheldon BC. FINE-SCALE GENETIC STRUCTURE IN A WILD BIRD POPULATION: THE ROLE OF LIMITED DISPERSAL AND ENVIRONMENTALLY BASED SELECTION AS CAUSAL FACTORS. Evolution 2013; 67:3488-500. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2012] [Accepted: 03/24/2013] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Colin J. Garroway
- Edward Grey Institute; Department of Zoology, University of Oxford; Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | - Reinder Radersma
- Edward Grey Institute; Department of Zoology, University of Oxford; Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | - Irem Sepil
- Edward Grey Institute; Department of Zoology, University of Oxford; Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | - Anna W. Santure
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences; University of Sheffield Sheffield S10 2TN United Kingdom
| | - Isabelle De Cauwer
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences; University of Sheffield Sheffield S10 2TN United Kingdom
- Laboratoire de Génétique et Evolution des Populations Végétales UMR CNRS 8198, Bâtiment SN2; Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille-Lille 1; F-59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex France
| | - Jon Slate
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences; University of Sheffield Sheffield S10 2TN United Kingdom
| | - Ben C. Sheldon
- Edward Grey Institute; Department of Zoology, University of Oxford; Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
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91
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Increased endoparasite infection in late-arriving individuals of a trans-saharan passerine migrant bird. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61236. [PMID: 23620731 PMCID: PMC3631203 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2012] [Accepted: 03/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Earlier migration in males than in females is the commonest pattern in migrating passerines and is positively related to size dimorphism and dichromatism. The early arrival of males is a costly trait that may confer reproductive advantages in terms of better territories and/or mates. Given the physiological cost of migration, early migrants are those in best condition and accordingly the prevalence, load, and/or diversity of parasites is expected to increase in both sexes for late migrants. To test this hypothesis, we sampled 187 trans-Saharan migrant garden warblers Sylvia borin and 64 resident serins Serinus serinus (as a control for potential circannual patterns in parasite load) during spring migration in Spain. We assessed the prevalence of blood parasites (Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon) and the prevalence and load of intestinal parasites (mainly coccidians and spirurids). The relationship between parasite (prevalence, load, and richness) and the timing of passage through a stopover area was tested using generalized linear models. Protandry occurs in the monomorphic garden warbler and males migrated on average 5.5 days before females. Intestinal parasite richness increased with the date of migration. The timing of migration was unrelated to the presence or load of the other parasite groups analyzed. Our results support the idea that the timing of migration is a condition-dependent trait and suggests that multiple intestinal parasite infestations could delay migration in birds. Even in monomorphic species parasites may play a role in sexual selection by delaying the arrival of the most infected individuals at breeding grounds, thereby further increasing the benefits of mating with early-arriving individuals.
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92
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Isaksson C, Sepil I, Baramidze V, Sheldon BC. Explaining variance of avian malaria infection in the wild: the importance of host density, habitat, individual life-history and oxidative stress. BMC Ecol 2013; 13:15. [PMID: 23565726 PMCID: PMC3639228 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6785-13-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2012] [Accepted: 03/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Avian malaria (Plasmodium sp.) is globally widespread, but considerable variation exists in infection (presence/absence) patterns at small spatial scales. This variation can be driven by variation in ecology, demography, and phenotypic characters, in particular those that influence the host’s resistance. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is one of the host’s initial immune responses to combat parasitic invasion. However, long-term ROS exposure can harm the host and the redox response therefore needs to be adjusted according to infection stage and host phenotype. Here we use experimental and correlational approaches to assess the relative importance of host density, habitat composition, individual level variation and redox physiology for Plasmodium infection in a wild population of great tits, Parus major. Results We found that 36% of the great tit population was infected with Plasmodium (22% P. relictum and 15% P. circumflexum prevalence) and that patterns of infection were Plasmodium species-specific. First, the infection of P. circumflexum was significantly higher in areas with experimental increased host density, whereas variation in P. relictum infection was mainly attributed to age, sex and reproduction. Second, great tit antioxidant responses – total and oxidizied glutathione - showed age- , sex- and Plasmodium species-specific patterns between infected and uninfected individuals, but reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) showed only a weak explanatory power for patterns of P. relictum infection. Instead ROM significantly increased with Plasmodium parasitaemia. Conclusions These results identify some key factors that influence Plasmodium infection in wild birds, and provide a potential explanation for the underlying physiological basis of recently documented negative effects of chronic avian malaria on survival and reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Isaksson
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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93
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Jones MR, Cheviron ZA, Carling MD. Spatial patterns of avian malaria prevalence in Zonotrichia capensis on the western slope of the Peruvian Andes. J Parasitol 2013; 99:903-5. [PMID: 23517316 DOI: 10.1645/12-147.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental heterogeneity largely dictates the spatial distributions of parasites and therefore the susceptibility to infection of host populations. We surveyed avian malaria infections in Rufous-collared sparrows (Zonotrichia capensis) across replicated altitudinal and latitudinal transects along the western slope of the Peruvian Andes to assess geographic patterns of prevalence. We found malaria infection prevalence peaked at midelevations along all 3 altitudinal transects (x ≈ 2,733 m), with highest overall prevalence observed in the northern transect. We observed low levels of malarial parasite diversity, with 94% of infected birds carrying a single Haemoproteus (subgenus Parahaemoproteus) strain. The remaining infected birds harbored either a single alternate Haemoproteus or 1 of 2 Plasmodium strains. Our data suggest that temperature and precipitation are the primary drivers of the spatial patterns in avian malaria prevalence along the western slope of the Andes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M R Jones
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Avenue, Dept. 4304, Laramie, Wyoming 82071
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94
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Sepil I, Lachish S, Hinks AE, Sheldon BC. Mhc supertypes confer both qualitative and quantitative resistance to avian malaria infections in a wild bird population. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20130134. [PMID: 23516242 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.0134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Major histocompatibility complex (Mhc) genes are believed to play a key role in the genetic basis of disease control. Although numerous studies have sought links between Mhc and disease prevalence, many have ignored the ecological and epidemiological aspects of the host-parasite interaction. Consequently, interpreting associations between prevalence and Mhc has been difficult, whereas discriminating alleles for qualitative resistance, quantitative resistance and susceptibility remains challenging. Moreover, most studies to date have quantified associations between genotypes and disease status, overlooking the complex relationship between genotype and the properties of the Mhc molecule that interacts with parasites. Here, we address these problems and demonstrate avian malaria (Plasmodium) parasite species-specific associations with functional properties of Mhc molecules (Mhc supertypes) in a wild great tit (Parus major) population. We further show that correctly interpreting these associations depends crucially on understanding the spatial variation in risk of infection and the fitness effects of infection. We report that a single Mhc supertype confers qualitative resistance to Plasmodium relictum, whereas a different Mhc supertype confers quantitative resistance to Plasmodium circumflexum infections. Furthermore, we demonstrate common functional properties of Plasmodium-resistance alleles in passerine birds, suggesting this is a model system for parasite-Mhc associations in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irem Sepil
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
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95
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Banda ME, Howe L, Gartrell BD, McInnes K, Hunter S, French NP. A cluster of avian malaria cases in a kiwi management programme. N Z Vet J 2012. [PMID: 23186120 DOI: 10.1080/00480169.2012.736130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
AIM To describe a temporal cluster of avian malaria (Plasmodium spp.) at an Operation Nest Egg™ (ONE) site in Rotorua which caused mortality in a juvenile kiwi and had high population prevalence in brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli). METHODS A 70-day-old wild-born captive brown kiwi was submitted for post-mortem examination to Massey University Wildlife Health Centre. Post-mortem examination and histopathology were used to determine the cause of death. Plasmodium specific PCR analysis was subsequently conducted on tissue samples and 108 individual blood samples from living kiwi from five ONE breeding sites and two rowi kiwi crèches. Positive PCR products were sequenced to identify the Plasmodium spp. isolated. Where possible, blood smear microscopic examination was used to determine the level of parasitaemia in the infected kiwi. RESULTS Plasmodium spp. was detected in the kiwi which died and it showed histopathological evidence of disseminated protozoal infection. A high prevalence of Plasmodium was found in blood samples from kiwi concurrently residing at ONE Rotorua by blood smear microscopy (22/32, 68%) and PCR (25/32, 78%). All kiwi with positive blood smears had only a low level of peripheral parasitaemia at the time of sampling. However, 0/17 additional kiwi sampled at Rotorua 3 weeks after the juvenile's death, 0/23 Rotorua juveniles sampled 1 year later and 0/59 kiwi from the five other locations were positive for Plasmodium by these methods. Sequencing analysis revealed a cosmopolitan Plasmodium (Huffia) elongatum lineage in all positive birds. CONCLUSIONS This is the first description of an avian malaria (Plasmodium spp.) infection associated with mortality and a high population prevalence in brown kiwi at a ONE site in the 20 years of the programme. The study suggests that this level of infection in a population of kiwi was unusual and provides evidence in support of continued vigilance of disease risks associated with this and other conservation management programmes involving wildlife translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M E Banda
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
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96
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Sepil I, Lachish S, Sheldon BC. Mhc-linked survival and lifetime reproductive success in a wild population of great tits. Mol Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Irem Sepil
- Department of Zoology; Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
| | - Shelly Lachish
- Department of Zoology; Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
| | - Ben C. Sheldon
- Department of Zoology; Edward Grey Institute; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
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97
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Ferrer ES, García-Navas V, Sanz JJ, Ortego J. Molecular characterization of avian malaria parasites in three Mediterranean blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) populations. Parasitol Res 2012; 111:2137-42. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-012-3062-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2012] [Accepted: 07/20/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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98
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Santiago-Alarcon D, Palinauskas V, Schaefer HM. Diptera vectors of avian Haemosporidian parasites: untangling parasite life cycles and their taxonomy. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2012; 87:928-64. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2012.00234.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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99
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Martinez-Padilla J, Vergara P, Mougeot F, Redpath SM. Parasitized mates increase infection risk for partners. Am Nat 2012; 179:811-20. [PMID: 22617268 DOI: 10.1086/665664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Individuals can gain fitness benefits and costs through their mates. However, studies on sexual selection have tended to focus on genetic benefits. A potentially widespread cost of pairing with a parasitized mate is that doing so will increase an individual's parasite abundance. Such a cost has been overlooked in systems in which parasites are indirectly transmitted. We manipulated the abundance of the nematode parasite Trichostrongylus tenuis, an indirectly transmitted parasite, within pairs of wild red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus in spring. Parasite levels were correlated within pairs before the experiment. We removed parasites from males, females, or both members of the pair and evaluated individual parasite uptake over the subsequent breeding period. At the end of the breeding season, an individual's parasite abundance was greater when its mate had not been initially purged of parasites. This cost appeared to be greater for males. We discuss the implications of our results in relation to the costs that parasites may have on sexual selection processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus Martinez-Padilla
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
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LaPointe DA, Atkinson CT, Samuel MD. Ecology and conservation biology of avian malaria. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2012; 1249:211-26. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06431.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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