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Woodrow C, Rosca AT, Fletcher R, Hone A, Ruta M, Hamer KC, Dunn JC. Haemoproteus parasites and passerines: the effect of local generalists on inferences of host-parasite co-phylogeny in the British Isles. Parasitology 2023; 150:1307-1315. [PMID: 37395052 PMCID: PMC10941225 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023000628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Host–parasite associations provide a benchmark for investigating evolutionary arms races and antagonistic coevolution. However, potential ecological mechanisms underlying such associations are difficult to unravel. In particular, local adaptations of hosts and/or parasites may hamper reliable inferences of host–parasite relationships and the specialist–generalist definitions of parasite lineages, making it problematic to understand such relationships on a global scale. Phylogenetic methods were used to investigate co-phylogenetic patterns between vector-borne parasites of the genus Haemoproteus and their passeriform hosts, to infer the ecological interactions of parasites and hosts that may have driven the evolution of both groups in a local geographic domain. As several Haemoproteus lineages were only detected once, and given the occurrence of a single extreme generalist, the effect of removing individual lineages on the co-phylogeny pattern was tested. When all lineages were included, and when all singly detected lineages were removed, there was no convincing evidence for host–parasite co-phylogeny. However, when only the generalist lineage was removed, strong support for co-phylogeny was indicated, and ecological interactions could be successfully inferred. This study exemplifies the importance of identifying locally abundant lineages when sampling host–parasite systems, to provide reliable insights into the precise mechanisms underlying host–parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlie Woodrow
- Joseph Banks Laboratories, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UK
| | - Adina Teodora Rosca
- Joseph Banks Laboratories, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UK
| | - Rachel Fletcher
- Joseph Banks Laboratories, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UK
| | - Abigail Hone
- Joseph Banks Laboratories, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UK
| | - Marcello Ruta
- Joseph Banks Laboratories, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UK
| | - Keith C Hamer
- School of Biology, University of Leeds, Clarendon Way, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Jenny Claire Dunn
- Joseph Banks Laboratories, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UK
- School of Biology, University of Leeds, Clarendon Way, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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2
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Anjos CC, Bicudo T, Fecchio A, Anciães M, Mathias BS, Chagas CRF, Bell JA, Guimarães LO, Monteiro EF, Kirchgatter K. Prevalence and genetic diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites in islands within a mega hydroelectric dam in the Brazilian Amazon. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2065-2077. [PMID: 37391644 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07906-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
The Brazilian Amazon supports an extremely diverse avifauna and serves as the diversification center for avian malaria parasites in South America. Construction of hydroelectric dams can drive biodiversity loss by creating islands incapable of sustaining the bird communities found in intact forest sites. Besides anthropogenic actions, the presence of parasites can also influence the dynamics and structure of bird communities. Avian malaria (Plasmodium) and related haemosporidian parasites (Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) are a globally distributed group of protozoan parasites recovered from all major bird groups. However, no study to date has analyzed the presence of avian haemosporidian parasites in fragmented areas such as land bridge islands formed during artificial flooding following the construction of hydroelectric dams. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and molecular diversity of haemosporidians in bird communities inhabiting artificial islands in the area of the Balbina Hydroelectric Dam. The reservoir area covers 443,700 ha with 3546 islands on the left bank of the Uatumã River known to contain more than 400 bird species. We surveyed haemosporidian infections in blood samples collected from 445 understory birds, belonging to 53 species, 24 families, and 8 orders. Passeriformes represented 95.5% of all analyzed samples. We found a low overall Plasmodium prevalence (2.9%), with 13 positive samples (two Plasmodium elongatum and 11 Plasmodium sp.) belonging to eight lineages. Six of these lineages were previously recorded in the Amazon, whereas two of them are new. Hypocnemis cantator, the Guianan Warbling Antbird, represented 38.5% of all infected individuals, even though it represents only 5.6% of the sampled individuals. Since comparison with Plasmodium prevalence data prior to construction of Balbina is not possible, other studies in artificially flooded areas are imperative to test if anthropogenic flooding may disrupt vector-parasite relationships leading to low Plasmodium prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina C Anjos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Thiago Bicudo
- Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Tefé, AM, 69553-225, Brazil
| | - Alan Fecchio
- Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica (CIEMEP), CONICET - Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Esquel, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Marina Anciães
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Manaus, AM, 69081-000, Brazil
| | - Bruno S Mathias
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil
| | | | - Jeffrey A Bell
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, 10 Cornell Street, Grand Forks, ND, 58202, USA
| | - Lilian O Guimarães
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Instituto Pasteur, São Paulo, SP, 01027-000, Brazil
| | - Eliana F Monteiro
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Instituto Pasteur, São Paulo, SP, 01027-000, Brazil
| | - Karin Kirchgatter
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Instituto Pasteur, São Paulo, SP, 01027-000, Brazil.
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3
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Arifin AR, Phillips RD, Linde CC. Strong phylogenetic congruence between Tulasnella fungi and their associated Drakaeinae orchids. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:221-237. [PMID: 36309962 PMCID: PMC10091943 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The study of congruency between phylogenies of interacting species can provide a powerful approach for understanding the evolutionary history of symbiotic associations. Orchid mycorrhizal fungi can survive independently of orchids making cospeciation unlikely, leading us to predict that any congruence would arise from host-switches to closely related fungal species. The Australasian orchid subtribe Drakaeinae is an iconic group of sexually deceptive orchids that consists of approximately 66 species. In this study, we investigated the evolutionary relationships between representatives of all six Drakaeinae orchid genera (39 species) and their mycorrhizal fungi. We used an exome capture dataset to generate the first well-resolved phylogeny of the Drakaeinae genera. A total of 10 closely related Tulasnella Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) and previously described species were associated with the Drakaeinae orchids. Three of them were shared among orchid genera, with each genus associating with 1-6 Tulasnella lineages. Cophylogenetic analyses show Drakaeinae orchids and their Tulasnella associates exhibit significant congruence (p < 0.001) in the topology of their phylogenetic trees. An event-based method also revealed significant congruence in Drakaeinae-Tulasnella relationships, with duplications (35), losses (25), and failure to diverge (9) the most frequent events, with minimal evidence for cospeciation (1) and host-switches (2). The high number of duplications suggests that the orchids speciate independently from the fungi, and the fungal species association of the ancestral orchid species is typically maintained in the daughter species. For the Drakaeinae-Tulasnella interaction, a pattern of phylogenetic niche conservatism rather than coevolution likely explains the observed phylogenetic congruency in orchid and fungal phylogenies. Given that many orchid genera are characterized by sharing of fungal species between closely related orchid species, we predict that these findings may apply to a wide range of orchid lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arild R Arifin
- Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Wenatchee, Washington, USA
| | - Ryan D Phillips
- Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,Department of Ecology, Environment & Evolution, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kings Park Science, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Victoria, Australia
| | - Celeste C Linde
- Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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4
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Untangling the actual infection status: detection of avian haemosporidian parasites of three Malagasy bird species using microscopy, multiplex PCR, and nested PCR methods. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:2817-2829. [PMID: 35939148 PMCID: PMC9464167 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07606-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The development of new molecular methods has significantly improved the detection and identification of avian haemosporidian parasites (Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) compared to microscopic examination. Very large numbers of previously hidden Haemosporida species of a wide range of avian hosts have thus been discovered in the last two decades. However, test parameters of the various detection methods remain largely unevaluated. In this study, the merits of microscopy, multiplex PCR, and nested PCR were compared to identify the infection status of three Malagasy bird species. A total of 414 blood samples of Hypsipetes madagascariensis, Foudia omissa and F. madagascariensis, as well as 147 blood smears, were examined for haemosporidian infection. Thirty-four lineages of haemosporidian parasites could be identified, of which six have been detected for the first time. Microscopy, multiplex and nested PCR showed differences in detection rate, most likely due to low parasitemia of chronically infected birds. The combination of both PCR methods yielded the best results. In particular, detection of multiple infections could be greatly improved and will enable more precise prevalence estimates of individual haemosporidian species in wild birds in the future.
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Amaya-Mejia W, Dodge M, Morris B, Dumbacher JP, Sehgal RNM. Prevalence and diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites across islands of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:1621-1630. [PMID: 35362739 PMCID: PMC9098550 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07490-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The taxonomically diverse and relatively understudied avifauna of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) island archipelagos provide a unique ecological framework for studying haemosporidian parasite differentiation and geographic structure. We implemented molecular and phylogenetic analyses of partial mitochondrial DNA sequences to assess the host distribution of 3 genera of vector-transmitted avian blood parasites (Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus) across a range of islands off the southeastern tip of PNG. We identified 40 new lineages of haemosporidians, including five lineages belonging to Leucocytozoon, a genus not previously described in this region. Leucocytozoon infections were only observed on the larger, human-inhabited islands. Lineages belonging to Haemoproteus were diverse and had broad geographic distribution. Compared to the mainland, Haemoproteus parasites on the smaller, more distant islands had greater host specificity and lower infection prevalence. The black sunbird (Leptocoma aspasia), a commonly caught species, was shown to be a rare host for Haemoproteus spp. infections. Moreover, although birds of the genus Pitohui harbor a neurotoxin (homobatrachotoxin), they demonstrated an infection prevalence comparable to other bird species. The islands of PNG display heterogeneous patterns of haemosporidian diversity, distribution and host-specificity and serve as a valuable model system for studying host-parasite-vector interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilmer Amaya-Mejia
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA.
| | - Molly Dodge
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
| | - Brett Morris
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
| | - John P Dumbacher
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA.,California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA, 94118, USA
| | - Ravinder N M Sehgal
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
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6
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Harl J, Himmel T, Valkiūnas G, Ilgūnas M, Nedorost N, Matt J, Kübber-Heiss A, Alic A, Konicek C, Weissenböck H. Avian haemosporidian parasites of accipitriform raptors. Malar J 2022; 21:14. [PMID: 34986864 PMCID: PMC8729155 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-04019-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The order Accipitriformes comprises the largest group of birds of prey with 260 species in four families. So far, 21 haemosporidian parasite species have been described from or reported to occur in accipitriform birds. Only five of these parasite species have been characterized molecular genetically. The first part of this study involved molecular genetic screening of accipitriform raptors from Austria and Bosnia-Herzegovina and the first chromogenic in situ hybridization approach targeting parasites in this host group. The aim of the second part of this study was to summarize the CytB sequence data of haemosporidian parasites from accipitriform raptors and to visualize the geographic and host distribution of the lineages. Methods Blood and tissue samples of 183 accipitriform raptors from Austria and Bosnia-Herzegovina were screened for Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon parasites by nested PCR, and tissue samples of 23 PCR-positive birds were subjected to chromogenic in situ hybridization using genus-specific probes targeting the parasites’ 18S rRNAs. All published CytB sequence data from accipitriform raptors were analysed, phylogenetic trees were calculated, and DNA haplotype network analyses were performed with sequences from clades featuring multiple lineages detected in this host group. Results Of the 183 raptors from Austria and Bosnia-Herzegovina screened by PCR and sequencing, 80 individuals (44%) were infected with haemosporidian parasites. Among the 39 CytB lineages detected, 18 were found for the first time in the present study. The chromogenic in situ hybridization revealed exo-erythrocytic tissue stages of Leucocytozoon parasites belonging to the Leucocytozoon toddi species group in the kidneys of 14 infected birds. The total number of CytB lineages recorded in accipitriform birds worldwide was 57 for Leucocytozoon, 25 for Plasmodium, and 21 for Haemoproteus. Conclusion The analysis of the DNA haplotype networks allowed identifying numerous distinct groups of lineages, which have not yet been linked to morphospecies, and many of them likely belong to yet undescribed parasite species. Tissue stages of Leucocytozoon parasites developing in accipitriform raptors were discovered and described. The majority of Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus lineages are specific to this host group, but most Plasmodium lineages were found in birds of other orders. This might indicate local transmission from birds kept at the same facilities (raptor rescue centres and zoos), likely resulting in abortive infections. To clarify the taxonomic and systematic problems, combined morphological and molecular genetic analyses on a wider range of accipitriform host species are needed. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-021-04019-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Harl
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Tanja Himmel
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Mikas Ilgūnas
- Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Nora Nedorost
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Matt
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Kübber-Heiss
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstraße 1, 1160, Vienna, Austria
| | - Amer Alic
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 90, 71000, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Cornelia Konicek
- Service for Birds and Reptiles, Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Herbert Weissenböck
- Institute of Pathology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
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Sobeck J, Nsengimana O, Ruhagazi D, Uwanyirigira P, Mbasinga G, Tumushime JC, Kayitare A, Bahizi M, Muvunyi R, Sehgal RNM. Haemosporidia of grey crowned cranes in Rwanda. Parasitol Res 2021; 121:477-482. [PMID: 34767080 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07358-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Grey crowned cranes (Balearica regulorum) have been facing significant and long-term population declines in East Africa. Studies of Haemosporidian infections are essential to gain insight into pathogenic threats and help infer vector-host relationships, resolve parasite relationships, and support conservation efforts. As part of a program to reintroduce captive cranes in Rwanda back to their natural habitats, through health checks and initial microscopic examination, 120 grey crowned cranes were selected under suspicion of harboring Haemosporidian infections following initial peripheral blood smear examinations. Of these, 104 were infected with Haemoproteus and 3 were coinfected with Leucocytozoon as detected by PCR and microscopy. Sequencing allowed us to identify 2 distinct unreported lineages of Haemoproteus antigonis and one lineage of Leucocytozoon in the subspecies of Grey Crowned Cranes endemic to East Africa, B. r. gibbericeps. Molecularly, our two lineages of Haemoproteus antigonis differ by 32 base pairs and matched with about 95 percent identity to previously reported sequences of H. antigonis found in other species of cranes. No visible morphologic differences were found when compared to images of H. antigonis from previous studies. Our work demonstrates not only a need for increased testing within the family Gruidae, but also to investigate the possibility of cryptic speciation within the morphospecies Haemoproteus antigonis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Sobeck
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA.
| | | | - Déo Ruhagazi
- Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association, P.O.Box 5427, Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | - Gloria Mbasinga
- Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association, P.O.Box 5427, Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | | | - Methode Bahizi
- Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, P.O. Box 356, Davis, CA, 95617, USA
| | | | - Ravinder N M Sehgal
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
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Gutiérrez-López R, Bourret V, Loiseau C. Is Host Selection by Mosquitoes Driving Vector Specificity of Parasites? A Review on the Avian Malaria Model. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.569230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Ciloglu A, Ellis VA, Duc M, Downing PA, Inci A, Bensch S. Evolution of vector transmitted parasites by host switching revealed through sequencing of Haemoproteus parasite mitochondrial genomes. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2020; 153:106947. [PMID: 32866615 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Parasite species evolve by switching to new hosts, cospeciating with their current hosts, or speciating on their current hosts. Vector transmitted parasites are expected to speciate by host switching, but confirming this hypothesis has proved challenging. Parasite DNA can be difficult to sequence, thus well resolved parasite phylogenies that are needed to distinguish modes of parasite speciation are often lacking. Here, we studied speciation in vector transmitted avian haemosporidian parasites in the genus Haemoproteus and their warbler hosts (family Acrocephalidae). We overcome the difficulty of generating parasite genetic data by combining nested long-range PCR with next generation sequencing to sequence whole mitochondrial genomes from 19 parasite haplotypes confined to Acrocephalidae warblers, resulting in a well-supported parasite phylogeny. We also generated a well-supported host phylogeny using five genes from published sources. Our phylogenetic analyses confirm that these parasites have speciated by host switching. We also found that closely related host species shared parasites which themselves were not closely related. Sharing of parasites by closely related host species is not due to host geographic range overlap, but may be the result of phylogenetically conserved host immune systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arif Ciloglu
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey; Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362 Lund, Sweden; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey.
| | - Vincenzo A Ellis
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362 Lund, Sweden; Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Mélanie Duc
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362 Lund, Sweden; Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, Vilnius 08412, Lithuania
| | - Philip A Downing
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Abdullah Inci
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362 Lund, Sweden
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10
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Bell JA, González-Acuña D, Tkach VV. Haemosporidian Parasites of Chilean Ducks: The Importance of Biogeography and Nonpasserine Hosts. J Parasitol 2020; 106:211-220. [PMID: 32164026 DOI: 10.1645/19-130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Biogeography is known to have shaped the diversity and evolutionary history of avian haemosporidian parasites across the Neotropics. However, a paucity of information exists for the temperate Neotropics and especially from nonpasserine hosts. To understand the effect of biogeography in the temperate Neotropics on haemosporidians of nonpasserine hosts we screened ducks (Anseriformes) from central Chile for the presence of these parasites. Forty-two individuals of 4 duck species (Anas flavirostris, Anas georgica, Mareca sibilatrix, Spatula cyanoptera cyanoptera) were collected and assessed for haemosporidian parasite infections by real-time polymerase chain reaction screening and subsequent sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Haemoproteus (subgenus Haemoproteus) and Plasmodium were detected in 2 host species, A. georgica and S. c. cyanoptera, with no Leucocytozoon found. Overall haemosporidian prevalence was low (14.2%), with the prevalence of Plasmodium (11.9%) being substantially greater than that of Haemoproteus (4.8%). Six haemosporidian cytochrome b lineages were recovered, 2 Haemoproteus and 4 Plasmodium, with all 6 lineages identified for the first time. In phylogenetic reconstruction, the Chilean Plasmodium lineages were more closely related to South American lineages from passerine birds than to known lineages from anseriforms. The subgenus Haemoproteus known from nonpasseriformes has never been identified from any anseriform host; however, we recovered 2 lineages from this subgenus, one from each A. georgica and S. c. cyanoptera. Further work is needed to determine if this presents true parasitism in ducks or only a spillover infection. The results of phylogenetic reconstruction demonstrate a unique evolutionary history of these Chilean parasites, differing from what is known for this host group. The unique geography of Chile, with a large part of the country being relatively isolated by the Atacama Desert in the north and the Andes in the east and south, would present opportunities for parasite diversification. Further work is needed to investigate how strongly the biogeographical isolation has shaped the haemosporidian parasites of this area. Our results add to the growing body of evidence that nonpasserine hosts support unique lineages of haemosporidian parasites, while also demonstrating the role of biogeography in haemosporidian parasite diversity in the temperate Neotropics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Bell
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, 10 Cornell Street STOP 9019, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58202
| | - Daniel González-Acuña
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Concepción, Box 10 537, Chillán 3780000, Chile
| | - Vasyl V Tkach
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, 10 Cornell Street STOP 9019, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58202
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Evolutionary ecology, taxonomy, and systematics of avian malaria and related parasites. Acta Trop 2020; 204:105364. [PMID: 32007445 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Haemosporidian parasites of the genera Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon, and Haemoproteus are one of the most prevalent and widely studied groups of parasites infecting birds. Plasmodium is the most well-known haemosporidian as the avian parasite Plasmodium relictum was the original transmission model for human malaria and was also responsible for catastrophic effects on native avifauna when introduced to Hawaii. The past two decades have seen a dramatic increase in research on avian haemosporidian parasites as a model system to understand evolutionary and ecological parasite-host relationships. Despite haemosporidians being one the best studied groups of avian parasites their specialization among avian hosts and variation in prevalence amongst regions and host taxa are not fully understood. In this review we focus on describing the current phylogenetic and morphological diversity of haemosporidian parasites, their specificity among avian and vector hosts, and identifying the determinants of haemosporidian prevalence among avian species. We also discuss how these parasites might spread across regions due to global climate change and the importance of avian migratory behavior in parasite dispersion and subsequent diversification.
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13
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Fecchio A, Collins MD, Bell JA, García-Trejo EA, Sánchez-González LA, Dispoto JH, Rice NH, Weckstein JD. Bird Tissues from Museum Collections are Reliable for Assessing Avian Haemosporidian Diversity. J Parasitol 2019. [DOI: 10.1645/18-130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alan Fecchio
- Laboratório de Evolução e Biogeografia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA 40170115, Brazil
| | | | - Jeffrey A. Bell
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58201
| | - Erick A. García-Trejo
- Unidad de Informática para la Biodiversidad, UniCiencias. Departamento Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
| | - Luis A. Sánchez-González
- Museo de Zoología “Alfonso L. Herrera”, Depto. de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Apdo. Postal 70-399, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
| | - Janice H. Dispoto
- Department of Ornithology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
| | - Nathan H. Rice
- Department of Ornithology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
| | - Jason D. Weckstein
- Department of Ornithology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
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14
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Bodden HN, Outlaw DC. Diversity of Haemosporidian Parasites in Mississippi Songbirds. SOUTHEAST NAT 2019. [DOI: 10.1656/058.018.0213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Haley N. Bodden
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, PO Box GY, Mississippi State, MS 39762
| | - Diana C. Outlaw
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, PO Box GY, Mississippi State, MS 39762
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15
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Doussang D, González-Acuña D, Torres-Fuentes LG, Lougheed SC, Clemente-Carvalho RB, Greene KC, Vianna JA. Spatial distribution, prevalence and diversity of haemosporidians in the rufous-collared sparrow, Zonotrichia capensis. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:2. [PMID: 30606248 PMCID: PMC6318949 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3243-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parasite prevalence and diversity are determined by the distribution of hosts and vectors and by the interplay among a suite of environmental factors. Distributions of parasite lineages vary based on host susceptibility and geographical barriers. Hemoparasites of the genera Haemoproteus and Plasmodium have wide distributions, and high prevalence and genetic diversity within perching birds (Order Passeriformes). The rufous-collared sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) is widely distributed in Central and South America across an immense diversity of environments from sea level to more than 4000 meters above sea level. It therefore provides an excellent model to investigate whether altitudinal and latitudinal gradients influence the distribution, prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites, their population structure and the biogeographical boundaries of distinct parasite lineages. RESULTS We assembled samples from 1317 rufous-collared sparrows spanning 75 locales from across Central and South America (between 9.5°N and 54°S; 10-4655 meters above sea level). We used DNA sequence data from a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cytb) of Haemoproteus and Plasmodium from 325 positive samples and found prevalences of 22 and 3%, respectively. Haemoproteus exhibited a higher prevalence than Plasmodium but with comparatively lower genetic diversity. We detected a relationship of Plasmodium and Haemoproteus prevalence with altitude and latitude; however, altitude and latitude did not influence parasite diversity. CONCLUSIONS Parasite lineages showed a phylogeographical boundary coincident with the Andes Mountains, although we also observed a north-south disjunction in Peru for Haemoproteus. Haemosporidian distribution was not homogeneous but differed based on latitude and altitude. This is most probably due to environmental factors that have influenced both vector distribution and abundance, as well as parasite development. Our study provides key insights on the distribution of haemoparasite lineages and parasite dynamics within hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Doussang
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla, 537 Chillán, Chile
- Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Código Postal: 6904411, Casilla 306, Correo, 22 Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel González-Acuña
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla, 537 Chillán, Chile
| | | | | | | | - Kian Connelly Greene
- Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Código Postal: 6904411, Casilla 306, Correo, 22 Santiago, Chile
| | - Juliana A. Vianna
- Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Código Postal: 6904411, Casilla 306, Correo, 22 Santiago, Chile
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16
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Toscani Field J, Weinberg J, Bensch S, Matta NE, Valkiūnas G, Sehgal RNM. Delineation of the Genera Haemoproteus and Plasmodium Using RNA-Seq and Multi-gene Phylogenetics. J Mol Evol 2018; 86:646-654. [PMID: 30426144 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-018-9875-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Members of the order Haemosporida are protist parasites that infect mammals, reptiles and birds. This group includes the causal agents of malaria, Plasmodium parasites, the genera Leucocytozoon and Fallisia, as well as the species rich genus Haemoproteus with its two subgenera Haemoproteus and Parahaemoproteus. Some species of Haemoproteus cause severe disease in avian hosts, and these parasites display high levels of diversity worldwide. This diversity emphasizes the need for accurate evolutionary information. Most molecular studies of wildlife haemosporidians use a bar coding approach by sequencing a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. This method is efficient at differentiating parasite lineages but insufficient for accurate phylogenetic inferences in highly diverse taxa such as haemosporidians. Recent studies have utilized multiple mitochondrial genes (cyt b, cox1 and cox3), sometimes combined with a few apicoplast and nuclear genes. These studies have been highly successful with one notable exception: the evolutionary relationships of the genus Haemoproteus remain unresolved. Here we describe the transcriptome of Haemoproteus columbae and investigate its phylogenetic position recovered from a multi-gene dataset (600 genes). This genomic approach restricts the taxon sampling to 18 species of apicomplexan parasites. We employed Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods of phylogenetic analyses and found H. columbae and a representative from the subgenus Parahaemoproteus to be sister taxa. This result strengthens the hypothesis of genus Haemoproteus being monophyletic; however, resolving this question will require sequences of orthologs from, in particular, representatives of Leucocytozoon species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Toscani Field
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1700 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA.
| | - Josh Weinberg
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1700 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Nubia E Matta
- Sede Bogotá, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología, Grupo de Investigación Caracterización genética e inmunología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 30 No. 45-03, Bogotá, 111321, Colombia
| | | | - Ravinder N M Sehgal
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1700 Holloway Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
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17
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The success of sequence capture in relation to phylogenetic distance from a reference genome: a case study of avian haemosporidian parasites. Int J Parasitol 2018; 48:947-954. [PMID: 30107149 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Genomic sequencing of avian haemosporidian parasites (Haemosporida) has been challenging due to excessive contamination from host DNA. In this study, we developed a cost-effective protocol to obtain parasite sequences from naturally infected birds, based on targeted sequence capture and next generation sequencing. With the genomic data of Haemoproteus tartakovskyi as a reference, we successfully sequenced up to 1000 genes from each of the 15 selected samples belonging to nine different cytochrome b lineages, eight of which belong to Haemoproteus and one to Plasmodium. The targeted sequences were enriched to ∼104-fold, and mixed infections were identified as well as the proportions of each mixed lineage. We found that the total number of reads and the proportions of exons sequenced decreased when the parasite lineage became more divergent from the reference genome. For each of the samples, the recovery of sequences from different exons varied with the function and GC content of the exon. From the obtained sequences, we detected within-lineage variation in both mitochondrial and nuclear genes, which may be a result of local adaptation to different host species and environmental conditions. This targeted sequence capture protocol can be applied to a broader range of species and will open a new door for further studies on disease diagnostics and comparative analysis of haemosporidians evolution.
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18
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Fecchio A, Bell JA, Collins MD, Farias IP, Trisos CH, Tobias JA, Tkach VV, Weckstein JD, Ricklefs RE, Batalha-Filho H. Diversification by host switching and dispersal shaped the diversity and distribution of avian malaria parasites in Amazonia. OIKOS 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.05115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alan Fecchio
- Laboratório de Evolução e Biogeografia, Univ. Federal da Bahia; Rua Barão de Jeremoabo 147 Salvador BA 40170115 Brazil
- Dept of Ornithology; Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University; Philadelhpia PA USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jason David Weckstein
- Dept of Ornithology; Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
- Dept of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Sciences; Drexel Univ.; Philadelphia PA USA
| | | | - Henrique Batalha-Filho
- Natl Inst. of Science and Technology in Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Studies in Ecology and Evolution (INCT IN-TREE)
- Laboratório de Evolução e Biogeografia, Inst. de Biologia; Univ. Federal da Bahia; Salvador BA Brazil
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19
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Nylin S, Agosta S, Bensch S, Boeger WA, Braga MP, Brooks DR, Forister ML, Hambäck PA, Hoberg EP, Nyman T, Schäpers A, Stigall AL, Wheat CW, Österling M, Janz N. Embracing Colonizations: A New Paradigm for Species Association Dynamics. Trends Ecol Evol 2018; 33:4-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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20
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Alcala N, Jenkins T, Christe P, Vuilleumier S. Host shift and cospeciation rate estimation from co‐phylogenies. Ecol Lett 2017; 20:1014-1024. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.12799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Alcala
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne Biophore, Sorge CH‐1015 Lausanne Switzerland
- Department of Biology Stanford University Stanford CA94305‐5020 USA
| | - Tania Jenkins
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne Biophore, Sorge CH‐1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Philippe Christe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne Biophore, Sorge CH‐1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Séverine Vuilleumier
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne Biophore, Sorge CH‐1015 Lausanne Switzerland
- School of Life Sciences Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne CH‐1015 Lausanne Switzerland
- School of Nursing Sciences, La Source University of Applied Sciences & Arts of Western Switzerland CH‐1004 Lausanne Switzerland
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21
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Clark NJ, Clegg SM. Integrating phylogenetic and ecological distances reveals new insights into parasite host specificity. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:3074-3086. [PMID: 28295937 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The range of hosts a pathogen infects (host specificity) is a key element of disease risk that may be influenced by both shared phylogenetic history and shared ecological attributes of prospective hosts. Phylospecificity indices quantify host specificity in terms of host relatedness, but can fail to capture ecological attributes that increase susceptibility. For instance, similarity in habitat niche may expose phylogenetically unrelated host species to similar pathogen assemblages. Using a recently proposed method that integrates multiple distances, we assess the relative contributions of host phylogenetic and functional distances to pathogen host specificity (functional-phylogenetic host specificity). We apply this index to a data set of avian malaria parasite (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus spp.) infections from Melanesian birds to show that multihost parasites generally use hosts that are closely related, not hosts with similar habitat niches. We also show that host community phylogenetic ß-diversity (Pßd) predicts parasite Pßd and that individual host species carry phylogenetically clustered Haemoproteus parasite assemblages. Our findings were robust to phylogenetic uncertainty, and suggest that phylogenetic ancestry of both hosts and parasites plays important roles in driving avian malaria host specificity and community assembly. However, restricting host specificity analyses to either recent or historical timescales identified notable exceptions, including a 'habitat specialist' parasite that infects a diversity of unrelated host species with similar habitat niches. This work highlights that integrating ecological and phylogenetic distances provides a powerful approach to better understand drivers of pathogen host specificity and community assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Clark
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld, 4343, Australia.,Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Qld, 4111, Australia
| | - Sonya M Clegg
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
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22
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Avian malaria, ecological host traits and mosquito abundance in southeastern Amazonia. Parasitology 2017; 144:1117-1132. [DOI: 10.1017/s003118201700035x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYAvian malaria is a vector transmitted disease caused byPlasmodiumand recent studies suggest that variation in its prevalence across avian hosts is correlated with a variety of ecological traits. Here we examine the relationship between prevalence and diversity ofPlasmodiumlineages in southeastern Amazonia and: (1) host ecological traits (nest location, nest type, flocking behaviour and diet); (2) density and diversity of avian hosts; (3) abundance and diversity of mosquitoes; and (4) season. We used molecular methods to detectPlasmodiumin blood samples from 675 individual birds of 120 species. Based on cytochromebsequences, we recovered 89 lineages ofPlasmodiumfrom 136 infected individuals sampled across seven localities.Plasmodiumprevalence was homogeneous over time (dry season and flooding season) and space, but heterogeneous among 51 avian host species. Variation in prevalence among bird species was not explained by avian ecological traits, density of avian hosts, or mosquito abundance. However,Plasmodiumlineage diversity was positively correlated with mosquito abundance. Interestingly, our results suggest that avian host traits are less important determinants ofPlasmodiumprevalence and diversity in southeastern Amazonia than in other regions in which they have been investigated.
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23
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Host associations and turnover of haemosporidian parasites in manakins (Aves: Pipridae). Parasitology 2017; 144:984-993. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182017000208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYParasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus (Apicomplexa: Haemosporida) are a diverse group of pathogens that infect birds nearly worldwide. Despite their ubiquity, the ecological and evolutionary factors that shape the diversity and distribution of these protozoan parasites among avian communities and geographic regions are poorly understood. Based on a survey throughout the Neotropics of the haemosporidian parasites infecting manakins (Pipridae), a family of Passerine birds endemic to this region, we asked whether host relatedness, ecological similarity and geographic proximity structure parasite turnover between manakin species and local manakin assemblages. We used molecular methods to screen 1343 individuals of 30 manakin species for the presence of parasites. We found no significant correlations between manakin parasite lineage turnover and both manakin species turnover and geographic distance. Climate differences, species turnover in the larger bird community and parasite lineage turnover in non-manakin hosts did not correlate with manakin parasite lineage turnover. We also found no evidence that manakin parasite lineage turnover among host species correlates with range overlap and genetic divergence among hosts. Our analyses indicate that host switching (turnover among host species) and dispersal (turnover among locations) of haemosporidian parasites in manakins are not constrained at this scale.
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24
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Chagas CRF, Valkiūnas G, de Oliveira Guimarães L, Monteiro EF, Guida FJV, Simões RF, Rodrigues PT, de Albuquerque Luna EJ, Kirchgatter K. Diversity and distribution of avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites in captive birds from a Brazilian megalopolis. Malar J 2017; 16:83. [PMID: 28212654 PMCID: PMC5316177 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-017-1729-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The role of zoos in conservation programmes has increased significantly in last decades, and the health of captive animals is essential to guarantee success of such programmes. However, zoo birds suffer from parasitic infections, which often are caused by malaria parasites and related haemosporidians. Studies determining the occurrence and diversity of these parasites, aiming better understanding infection influence on fitness of captive birds, are limited. METHODS In 2011-2015, the prevalence and diversity of Plasmodium spp. and Haemoproteus spp. was examined in blood samples of 677 captive birds from the São Paulo Zoo, the largest zoo in Latin America. Molecular and microscopic diagnostic methods were used in parallel to detect and identify these infections. RESULTS The overall prevalence of haemosporidians was 12.6%. Parasites were mostly detected by the molecular diagnosis, indicating that many birds harbour subclinical or abortive infections. In this project, birds of 17 orders (almost half of all the orders currently accepted in taxonomy of birds), 29 families, and 122 species, were tested, detecting positive individuals in 27% of bird species. Birds from the Anatidae were the most prevalently infected (64.7% of all infected animals). In all, infections with parasites of the genus Plasmodium (overall prevalence 97.6%) predominated when compared to those of the genus Haemoproteus (2.4%). In total, 14 cytochrome b (cytb) lineages of Plasmodium spp. and 2 cytb lineages of Haemoproteus spp. were recorded. Eight lineages were new. One of the reported lineages was broad generalist while others were reported in single or a few species of birds. Molecular characterization of Haemoproteus ortalidum was developed. CONCLUSION This study shows that many species of birds are at risk in captivity. It is difficult to stop haemosporidian parasite transmission in zoos, but is possible to reduce the infection rate by treating the infected animals or/and while keeping them in facilities free from mosquitoes. Protocols of quarantine should be implemented whenever an animal is transferred between bird maintaining institutions. This is the first survey of haemosporidians in captive birds from different orders maintained in zoos. It is worth emphasizing the necessity of applying practices to control these parasites in management and husbandry of animals in captivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lilian de Oliveira Guimarães
- Malaria Research Center, Superintendence for Endemic Disease Control, São Paulo, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho, Aguiar 470, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Eliana Ferreira Monteiro
- Malaria Research Center, Superintendence for Endemic Disease Control, São Paulo, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho, Aguiar 470, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil
| | | | - Roseli França Simões
- Malaria Research Center, Superintendence for Endemic Disease Control, São Paulo, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho, Aguiar 470, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Priscila Thihara Rodrigues
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 1374, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Expedito José de Albuquerque Luna
- Virology Laboratory, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar 470, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Karin Kirchgatter
- Malaria Research Center, Superintendence for Endemic Disease Control, São Paulo, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho, Aguiar 470, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil.
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25
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Avian and simian malaria: do they have a cancer connection? Parasitol Res 2016; 116:839-845. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5352-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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26
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Diversity and distribution of avian haemosporidians in sub-Saharan Africa: an inter-regional biogeographic overview. Parasitology 2016; 144:394-402. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182016001979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYThe diversity of avian malaria parasites is much greater than 20th century morphologists realized and virtually every study in this field in the last 15 years has uncovered previously undocumented diversity at multiple levels within the taxonomic hierarchy. Despite this explosion of knowledge, there remain vast sampling gaps, both geographically and host-taxonomically, which makes characterizing patterns of diversity extremely challenging. Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge of sub-Saharan African avian malaria parasite diversity, focusing on avian hosts endemic to Africa. The relative proportions of the parasite genera included here, Plasmodium, Haemoproteus (including Parahaemoproteus) and Leucocytozoon, varied between regions, in part due to habitat preferences of the insect vectors of these genera, and in part we believe due to sampling bias. Biogeographic regions of sub-Saharan Africa harbour about the same proportion of endemic to shared parasite lineages, but there appears to be no phylogenetic structuring across regions. Our results highlight the sampling problem that must be addressed if we are to have a detailed understanding of parasite diversity in Africa. Without broad sampling within and across regions and hosts, using both molecular tools and microscopy, conclusions about parasite diversity, host–parasite interactions or even transmission dynamics remain extremely limited.
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27
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Peev S, Zehtindjiev P, Ilieva M, Träff J, Briedis M, Adamík P. Haemosporidian blood parasite diversity and prevalence in the semi-collared flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata) from the eastern Balkans. Parasitol Int 2016; 65:613-617. [PMID: 27641106 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2016.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
We present the first survey on prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus in a poorly studied migratory passerine, the semi-collared flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata). In total, 110 individuals were sampled during two breeding seasons in Eastern Bulgaria. We collected both blood samples for PCR identification and blood films for microscopic identification of haemosporidians. We found six distinctive parasite cyt b lineages present in the blood of the semi-collared flycatcher (three Haemoproteus and three Plasmodium). Two of the lineages, i.e. pWW3 of Plasmodium sp. and hCCF2 of Haemoproteus sp., are recorded for the first time in the family Muscicapidae. The overall prevalence ranged between 12.2 and 15.9% and we did not find co-infections. We hypothesize that the low prevalence of haemosporidians in this species might be linked to its small population size and relatively restricted geographical range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Strahil Peev
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Street, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria.
| | - Pavel Zehtindjiev
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Street, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Mihaela Ilieva
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Street, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Johan Träff
- Grötlingbo Smiss 516, SE-62338 Havdhem, Sweden
| | - Martins Briedis
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, tř. 17. listopadu 50, CZ-77146, Czech Republic
| | - Peter Adamík
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, tř. 17. listopadu 50, CZ-77146, Czech Republic; Museum of Natural History, nám. Republiky 5, CZ-77173 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Description and molecular characterization of a new Leucocytozoon parasite (Haemosporida: Leucocytozoidae), Leucocytozoon californicus sp. nov., found in American kestrels (Falco sparverius sparverius). Parasitol Res 2016; 115:1853-62. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-4925-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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29
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Sehgal RN. Manifold habitat effects on the prevalence and diversity of avian blood parasites. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2015; 4:421-30. [PMID: 26835250 PMCID: PMC4699977 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2015.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 08/30/2015] [Accepted: 09/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Habitats are rapidly changing across the planet and the consequences will have major and long-lasting effects on wildlife and their parasites. Birds harbor many types of blood parasites, but because of their relatively high prevalence and ease of diagnosis, it is the haemosporidians – Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon – that are the best studied in terms of ecology and evolution. For parasite transmission to occur, environmental conditions must be permissive, and given the many constraints on the competency of parasites, vectors and hosts, it is rather remarkable that these parasites are so prevalent and successful. Over the last decade, a rapidly growing body of literature has begun to clarify how environmental factors affect birds and the insects that vector their hematozoan parasites. Moreover, several studies have modeled how anthropogenic effects such as global climate change, deforestation and urbanization will impact the dynamics of parasite transmission. This review highlights recent research that impacts our understanding of how habitat and environmental changes can affect the distribution, diversity, prevalence and parasitemia of these avian blood parasites. Given the importance of environmental factors on transmission, it remains essential that researchers studying avian hematozoa document abiotic factors such as temperature, moisture and landscape elements. Ultimately, this continued research has the potential to inform conservation policies and help avert the loss of bird species and threatened habitats. Review of recent literature studying habitat effects on avian blood parasites. Habitat affects the prevalence, parasitemia, distribution and diversity of avian hematozoa. Environmental conditions must be permissive for parasite transmission to occur. Anthropogenic environmental changes will affect host–vector–parasite interactions.
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Vanhove MPM, Pariselle A, Van Steenberge M, Raeymaekers JAM, Hablützel PI, Gillardin C, Hellemans B, Breman FC, Koblmüller S, Sturmbauer C, Snoeks J, Volckaert FAM, Huyse T. Hidden biodiversity in an ancient lake: phylogenetic congruence between Lake Tanganyika tropheine cichlids and their monogenean flatworm parasites. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13669. [PMID: 26335652 PMCID: PMC4558575 DOI: 10.1038/srep13669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The stunning diversity of cichlid fishes has greatly enhanced our understanding of speciation and radiation. Little is known about the evolution of cichlid parasites. Parasites are abundant components of biodiversity, whose diversity typically exceeds that of their hosts. In the first comprehensive phylogenetic parasitological analysis of a vertebrate radiation, we study monogenean parasites infecting tropheine cichlids from Lake Tanganyika. Monogeneans are flatworms usually infecting the body surface and gills of fishes. In contrast to many other parasites, they depend only on a single host species to complete their lifecycle. Our spatially comprehensive combined nuclear-mitochondrial DNA dataset of the parasites covering almost all tropheine host species (N = 18), reveals species-rich parasite assemblages and shows consistent host-specificity. Statistical comparisons of host and parasite phylogenies based on distance and topology-based tests demonstrate significant congruence and suggest that host-switching is rare. Molecular rate evaluation indicates that species of Cichlidogyrus probably diverged synchronically with the initial radiation of the tropheines. They further diversified through within-host speciation into an overlooked species radiation. The unique life history and specialisation of certain parasite groups has profound evolutionary consequences. Hence, evolutionary parasitology adds a new dimension to the study of biodiversity hotspots like Lake Tanganyika.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten P M Vanhove
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Biology Department, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium.,Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-611 37 Brno, Czech Republic.,Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 46.7 km Athens-Sounio Avenue, PO Box 712, Anavyssos GR-190 13, Greece
| | - Antoine Pariselle
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution, IRD-CNRS-Université Montpellier 2, CC 063, Place Eugène Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier cedex 05, France
| | - Maarten Van Steenberge
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Biology Department, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium.,Institute of Zoology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, A-8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Joost A M Raeymaekers
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pascal I Hablützel
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Céline Gillardin
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Hellemans
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Floris C Breman
- Biology Department, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Stephan Koblmüller
- Institute of Zoology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, A-8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Christian Sturmbauer
- Institute of Zoology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, A-8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Jos Snoeks
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Biology Department, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Filip A M Volckaert
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tine Huyse
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Biology Department, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium
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Lauron EJ, Aw Yeang HX, Taffner SM, Sehgal RNM. De novo assembly and transcriptome analysis of Plasmodium gallinaceum identifies the Rh5 interacting protein (ripr), and reveals a lack of EBL and RH gene family diversification. Malar J 2015; 14:296. [PMID: 26243218 PMCID: PMC4524024 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-015-0814-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria parasites that infect birds can have narrow or broad host-tropisms. These differences in host specificity make avian malaria a useful model for studying the evolution and transmission of parasite assemblages across geographic ranges. The molecular mechanisms involved in host-specificity and the biology of avian malaria parasites in general are important aspects of malaria pathogenesis that warrant further examination. Here, the transcriptome of the malaria parasite Plasmodium gallinaceum was characterized to investigate the biology and the conservation of genes across various malaria parasite species. Methods The P. gallinaceum transcriptome was annotated and KEGG pathway mapping was performed. The ripr gene and orthologous genes that play critical roles in the purine salvage pathway were identified and characterized using bioinformatics and phylogenetic methods. Results Analysis of the transcriptome sequence database identified essential genes of the purine salvage pathway in P. gallinaceum that shared high sequence similarity to Plasmodium falciparum when compared to other mammalian Plasmodium spp. However, based on the current sequence data, there was a lack of orthologous genes that belonged to the erythrocyte-binding-like (EBL) and reticulocyte-binding-like homologue (RH) family in P. gallinaceum. In addition, an orthologue of the Rh5 interacting protein (ripr) was identified. Conclusions These findings suggest that the pathways involved in parasite red blood cell invasion are significantly different in avian Plasmodium parasites, but critical metabolic pathways are conserved throughout divergent Plasmodium taxa. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-015-0814-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvin J Lauron
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Han Xian Aw Yeang
- Rheumatology Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Samantha M Taffner
- Rheumatology Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Ravinder N M Sehgal
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Carlson JS, Walther E, TroutFryxell R, Staley S, Tell LA, Sehgal RNM, Barker CM, Cornel AJ. Identifying avian malaria vectors: sampling methods influence outcomes. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:365. [PMID: 26160384 PMCID: PMC4702297 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0969-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The role of vectors in the transmission of avian malaria parasites is currently understudied. Many studies that investigate parasite-vector relationships use limited trapping techniques and/or identify potential competent vectors in the field in such ways that cannot distinguish between an infected or infectious vector. Without the use of multiple trapping techniques that address the specific biology of diverse mosquito species, and without looking at the infection status of individual mosquitoes, it is not possible to make dependable conclusions on the role of mosquitoes in the transmission of avian malaria parasites. Methods We conducted two years of mosquito collections at a riparian preserve in California where a wide diversity of species were collected with multiple trap types. We hypothesized that competent mosquito species can influence the distribution and diversity of avian malaria parasites by acting as a compatibility filter for specific Plasmodium species. To determine the infection status of all individual mosquitoes for Plasmodium species/lineages, amplification within the cytochrome b gene was carried out on over 3000 individual mosquito thoraxes, and for those that tested positive we then repeated the same process for abdomens and salivary glands. Results Our data show heterogeneity in the transmissibility of Plasmodium among ornithophillic mosquito species. More specifically, Culex stigmatosoma appears to not be a vector of Plasmodium homopolare, a parasite that is prevalent in the avian population, but is a vector of multiple other Plasmodium species/lineages. Conclusions Our results suggest that conclusions made on the role of vectors from studies that do not use different mosquito trapping methods should be re-evaluated with caution, as we documented the potential for trapping biases, which may cause studies to miss important roles of specific mosquito species in the transmission of avian malaria. Moreover, we document heterogeneity in the transmission of Plasmodium spp. by mosquitoes can influence Plasmodium diversity and prevalence in specific locations to Plasmodium-vector incompatibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny S Carlson
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Erika Walther
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Rebecca TroutFryxell
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
| | - Sarah Staley
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Lisa A Tell
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Ravinder N M Sehgal
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Christopher M Barker
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Anthony J Cornel
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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