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Yabsley MJ, Coker SM, Welch CN, Garrett KB, Murray M, Grunert R, Seixas JS, Kistler WM, Curry SE, Adams HC, Nakatsu CS, Swanepoel L, Wyckoff ST, Koser TM, Kurimo-Beechuk E, Haynes E, Hernandez SM. A single Haemoproteus plataleae haplotype is widespread in white ibis ( Eudocimus albus) from urban and rural sites in southern Florida. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 21:269-276. [PMID: 37520900 PMCID: PMC10372042 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.06.010] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
The American white ibis (Eudocimus albus), a common bird species in Florida, has become increasingly urban, with many populations relying heavily on urban and suburban habitats, which may alter parasite transmission. Parasites of ibis, especially haemosporidians, are understudied. Avian haemosporidia can have a wide range of impacts on birds, including decreased reproductive success or increased mortality. Because southern Florida is subtropical and has a high diversity of potential vectors for haemosporidia, we hypothesized that there will be a high prevalence and genetic diversity of haemosporidia in white ibis. A total of 636 ibis from South Florida were sampled from 2010 to 2022, and blood samples were tested for haemosporidia by examination of Giemsa-stained thin blood smears and/or nested PCRs targeting the cytochrome b gene. A total of 400 (62.9%, 95% CI 59-66.7%) ibis were positive for parasites that were morphologically identified as Haemoproteus plataleae. Sequences of 302 positives revealed a single haplotype of Haemoproteus (EUDRUB01), which was previously reported from white ibis in South Florida and captive scarlet ibis (E. ruber) in Brazil. No Plasmodium or Leucocytozoon infections were detected. Parasitemias of the 400 positive birds were very low (average 0.084%, range 0.001%-2.16% [although only 2 birds had parasitemias >1%]). Prevalence and parasitemias were similar for males and females (68% vs. 61.6% and 0.081% vs. 0.071%, respectively). Prevalence in juveniles was lower compared with adults (52% vs. 67.4%) but parasitemias were higher in juveniles (0.117% vs. 0.065%). This data shows that H. plataleae is common in ibis in South Florida. Although parasitemias were generally low, additional research is needed to determine if this parasite has subclinical effects on ibis, if additional haplotypes or parasite species infect ibis in other regions of their range, or if H. plataleae is pathogenic for other sympatric avian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Yabsley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sarah M. Coker
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Catharine N. Welch
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Common Ground Ecology, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Kayla B. Garrett
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Maureen Murray
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Ryan Grunert
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Julia S. Seixas
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Whitney M. Kistler
- School of Mathematics and Sciences, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN, USA
| | - Shannon E. Curry
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Henry C. Adams
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Charlie S. Nakatsu
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Liandrie Swanepoel
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Seth T. Wyckoff
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Troy M. Koser
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Kurimo-Beechuk
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Ellen Haynes
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sonia M. Hernandez
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Lynton‐Jenkins JG, Russell AF, Chaves J, Bonneaud C. Avian disease surveillance on the island of San Cristóbal, Galápagos. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:18422-18433. [PMID: 35003681 PMCID: PMC8717262 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Endemic island species face unprecedented threats, with many populations in decline or at risk of extinction. One important threat is the introduction of novel and potentially devastating diseases, made more pressing due to accelerating global connectivity, urban development, and climatic changes. In the Galápagos archipelago two important wildlife diseases: avian pox (Avipoxvirus spp.) and avian malaria (Plasmodium spp. and related Haemosporidia) challenge endemic species. San Cristóbal island has seen a paucity of disease surveillance in avian populations, despite the island's connectedness to the continent and the wider archipelago. To survey prevalence and better understand the dynamics of these two diseases on San Cristóbal, we captured 1205 birds of 11 species on the island between 2016 and 2020. Study sites included urban and rural lowland localities as well as rural highland sites in 2019. Of 995 blood samples screened for avian haemosporidia, none tested positive for infection. In contrast, evidence of past and active pox infection was observed in 97 birds and identified as strains Gal1 and Gal2. Active pox prevalence differed significantly with contemporary climatic conditions, being highest during El Niño events (~11% in 2016 and in 2019 versus <1% in the La Niña year of 2018). Pox prevalence was also higher at urban sites than rural (11% to 4%, in 2019) and prevalence varied between host species, ranging from 12% in medium ground finches (Geospiza fortis) to 4% in Yellow Warblers (Setophaga petechial aureola). In the most common infected species (Small Ground Finch: Geospiza fuliginosa), birds recovered from pox had significantly longer wings, which may suggest a selective cost to infection. These results illustrate the threat future climate changes and urbanization may present in influencing disease dynamics in the Galápagos, while also highlighting unknowns regarding species-specific susceptibilities to avian pox and the transmission dynamics facilitating outbreaks within these iconic species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jaime Chaves
- Department of BiologySan Francisco State UniversitySan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y AmbientalesUniversidad San Francisco de QuitoQuitoEcuador
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3
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Names GR, Schultz EM, Krause JS, Hahn TP, Wingfield JC, Heal M, Cornelius JM, Klasing KC, Hunt KE. Stress in paradise: effects of elevated corticosterone on immunity and avian malaria resilience in a Hawaiian passerine. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272529. [PMID: 34553762 PMCID: PMC8546672 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Vertebrates confronted with challenging environments often experience an increase in circulating glucocorticoids, which result in morphological, physiological and behavioral changes that promote survival. However, chronically elevated glucocorticoids can suppress immunity, which may increase susceptibility to disease. Since the introduction of avian malaria to Hawaii a century ago, low-elevation populations of Hawaii Amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens) have undergone strong selection by avian malaria and evolved increased resilience (the ability to recover from infection), while populations at high elevation with few vectors have not undergone selection and remain susceptible. We investigated how experimentally elevated corticosterone affects the ability of high- and low-elevation male Amakihi to cope with avian malaria by measuring innate immunity, hematocrit and malaria parasitemia. Corticosterone implants resulted in a decrease in hematocrit in high- and low-elevation birds but no changes to circulating natural antibodies or leukocytes. Overall, leukocyte count was higher in low- than in high-elevation birds. Malaria infections were detected in a subset of low-elevation birds. Infected individuals with corticosterone implants experienced a significant increase in circulating malaria parasites while untreated infected birds did not. Our results suggest that Amakihi innate immunity measured by natural antibodies and leukocytes is not sensitive to changes in corticosterone, and that high circulating corticosterone may reduce the ability of Amakihi to cope with infection via its effects on hematocrit and malaria parasite load. Understanding how glucocorticoids influence a host's ability to cope with introduced diseases provides new insight into the conservation of animals threatened by novel pathogens. Summary: Amakihi innate immunity, as measured by natural antibodies and leukocytes, is not sensitive to changes in corticosterone, but high circulating corticosterone may reduce the ability of Amakihi to cope with avian malaria infection via its effects on hematocrit and malaria parasite load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle R Names
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Schultz
- Department of Biology, Wittenberg University, 200 W Ward Street, Springfield, OH 45504, USA
| | - Jesse S Krause
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada Reno, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Thomas P Hahn
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - John C Wingfield
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Molly Heal
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jamie M Cornelius
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, 2701 SW Campus Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Kirk C Klasing
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation & Department of Biology, George Mason University, 1500 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
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Names GR, Schultz EM, Hahn TP, Hunt KE, Angelier F, Ribout C, Klasing KC. Variation in immunity and health in response to introduced avian malaria in an endemic Hawaiian songbird. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. R. Names
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group University of California Davis Davis CA USA
- Department of Neurobiology Physiology and Behavior University of California Davis Davis CA USA
| | - E. M. Schultz
- Department of Biology Wittenberg University Springfield OH USA
| | - T. P. Hahn
- Department of Neurobiology Physiology and Behavior University of California Davis Davis CA USA
| | - K. E. Hunt
- Smithsonian‐Mason School of Conservation & Department of Biology George Mason University Front Royal VA USA
| | - F. Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS‐La Rochelle Université, UMR7372 Villiers en Bois France
| | - C. Ribout
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS‐La Rochelle Université, UMR7372 Villiers en Bois France
| | - K. C. Klasing
- Department of Animal Science University of California Davis Davis CA USA
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Abstract
Avian pox is a widespread infection in birds caused by genus Avipoxvirus pathogens. It is a noteworthy, potentially lethal disease to wild and domestic hosts. It can produce two different conditions: cutaneous pox, and diphtheritic pox. Here, we carry out an exhaustive review of all cases of avian pox reported from wild birds to analyze the effect and distribution in different avian species. Avian poxvirus strains have been detected in at least 374 wild bird species, a 60% increase on a 1999 review on avian pox hosts. We also analyze epizootic cases and if this disease contributes to wild bird population declines. We frequently observe very high prevalence in wild birds in remote island groups, e.g., Hawaii, Galapagos, etc., representing a major risk for the conservation of their unique endemic avifauna. However, the difference in prevalence between islands and continents is not significant given the few available studies. Morbidity and mortality can also be very high in captive birds, due to high population densities. However, despite the importance of the disease, the current detection rate of new Avipoxvirus strains suggests that diversity is incomplete for this group, and more research is needed to clarify its real extent, particularly in wild birds.
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Ohmer MEB, Costantini D, Czirják GÁ, Downs CJ, Ferguson LV, Flies A, Franklin CE, Kayigwe AN, Knutie S, Richards-Zawacki CL, Cramp RL. Applied ecoimmunology: using immunological tools to improve conservation efforts in a changing world. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab074. [PMID: 34512994 PMCID: PMC8422949 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Ecoimmunology is a rapidly developing field that explores how the environment shapes immune function, which in turn influences host-parasite relationships and disease outcomes. Host immune defence is a key fitness determinant because it underlies the capacity of animals to resist or tolerate potential infections. Importantly, immune function can be suppressed, depressed, reconfigured or stimulated by exposure to rapidly changing environmental drivers like temperature, pollutants and food availability. Thus, hosts may experience trade-offs resulting from altered investment in immune function under environmental stressors. As such, approaches in ecoimmunology can provide powerful tools to assist in the conservation of wildlife. Here, we provide case studies that explore the diverse ways that ecoimmunology can inform and advance conservation efforts, from understanding how Galapagos finches will fare with introduced parasites, to using methods from human oncology to design vaccines against a transmissible cancer in Tasmanian devils. In addition, we discuss the future of ecoimmunology and present 10 questions that can help guide this emerging field to better inform conservation decisions and biodiversity protection. From better linking changes in immune function to disease outcomes under different environmental conditions, to understanding how individual variation contributes to disease dynamics in wild populations, there is immense potential for ecoimmunology to inform the conservation of imperilled hosts in the face of new and re-emerging pathogens, in addition to improving the detection and management of emerging potential zoonoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel E B Ohmer
- Living Earth Collaborative, Washington University in St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - David Costantini
- Unité Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation (PhyMA), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, 57 Rue Cuvier, CP32, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Gábor Á Czirják
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Cynthia J Downs
- Department of Environmental Biology, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Laura V Ferguson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Andy Flies
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Craig E Franklin
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Ahab N Kayigwe
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Sarah Knutie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA
| | | | - Rebecca L Cramp
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Corresponding author: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia.
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Cummings CR, Khan NY, Murray MM, Ellison T, Welch CN, Hernandez SM, Navara KJ. Foraging in Urban Environments Increases Bactericidal Capacity in Plasma and Decreases Corticosterone Concentrations in White Ibises. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.575980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As humans continue to infringe on natural habitats, more animals are exposed to urbanization and its associated challenges. It is still unclear, however, whether the movement of animals into urban habitats negatively influences the health and/or survival of those animals, however those animals often experience shifts in resource availability, diet composition, and exposure to stimuli that are new and potentially stressful. Recently, white ibises (Eudocimus albus) have become increasingly common in urban habitats where they forage in close proximity to humans and even interact with them, collecting food handouts. We hypothesized that foraging in urban habitats would negatively impact measures of health, impair innate immunity, trigger elevated concentrations of corticosterone, and depress physiological responses to stressors in white ibises. We found that plasma from birds captured from urban sites had higher bactericidal capacity against Escherichia coli than those captured in natural sites. Additionally, adults captured in urban habitats had a significantly lower baseline corticosterone concentrations during the post-breeding season, and corticosterone responses to a handling challenge were lower for birds captured from urban sites during year 2 of the study. These results indicate that exposure to urban habitats impacts ibis health, though in the opposite direction of what was predicted.
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Solak HM, Yanchukov A, Çolak F, Matur F, Sözen M, Ayanoğlu İC, Winternitz JC. Altitudinal Effects on Innate Immune Response of a Subterranean Rodent. Zoolog Sci 2020; 37:31-41. [PMID: 32068372 DOI: 10.2108/zs190067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Immune defense is costly to maintain and deploy, and the optimal investment into immune defense depends on risk of infection. Altitude is a natural environmental factor that is predicted to affect parasite abundance, with lower parasite abundance predicted at higher altitudes due to stronger environmental stressors, which reduce parasite transmission. Using high and low altitude populations of the Turkish blind mole-rat (TBMR) Nannospalax xanthodon, we tested for effects of altitude on constitutive innate immune defense. Field studies were performed with 32 wild animals in 2017 and 2018 from two low- and one high-altitude localities in the Central Taurus Mountains, at respective altitudes of 1010 m, 1115 m, and 2900 m above sea level. We first compared innate standing immune defense as measured by the bacteria-killing ability of blood serum. We then measured corticosterone stress hormone levels, as stressful conditions may affect immune response. Finally, we compared prevalence and intensity of gastrointestinal parasites of field-captured TBMR. We found that the bacteria-killing ability of serum is greater in the mole-rat samples from high altitude. There was no significant difference in stress (corticosterone) levels between altitude categories. Coccidian prevalence and abundance were significantly higher in 2017 than 2018 samples, but there was no significant difference in prevalence, abundance, or intensity between altitudes, or between sexes. Small sample sizes may have reduced power to detect true differences; nevertheless, this study provides support that greater standing innate immunity in high altitude animals may reflect greater investment into constitutive defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halil Mert Solak
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Bülent Ecevit University, Farabi Campus, 67100, İncivez, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - Alexey Yanchukov
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Bülent Ecevit University, Farabi Campus, 67100, İncivez, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - Faruk Çolak
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Bülent Ecevit University, Farabi Campus, 67100, İncivez, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - Ferhat Matur
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Dokuz Eylül University, Tınaztepe Campus, 35390, Buca, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Sözen
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Bülent Ecevit University, Farabi Campus, 67100, İncivez, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - İhsan Cihan Ayanoğlu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Science, Middle East Technical University, 06800 Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Jamie C Winternitz
- Department of Animal Behavior, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany,
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Roast MJ, Aulsebrook AE, Fan M, Hidalgo Aranzamendi N, Teunissen N, Peters A. Short-Term Climate Variation Drives Baseline Innate Immune Function and Stress in a Tropical Bird: A Reactive Scope Perspective. Physiol Biochem Zool 2019; 92:140-151. [PMID: 30689489 DOI: 10.1086/702310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Investment in immune function can be costly, and life-history theory predicts trade-offs between immune function and other physiological demands. Environmental heterogeneity may constrain or change the optimal strategy and thereby alter baseline immune function (possibly mediated by stress responses). We tested several hypotheses relating variation in climatic, ecological, and social environments to chronic stress and levels of baseline innate immunity in a wild, cooperatively breeding bird, the purple-crowned fairy-wren (Malurus coronatus coronatus). From samples collected biannually over 5 yr, we quantified three indexes of constitutive innate immune function (haptoglobin/PIT54, natural antibodies, complement activity) and one index of chronic stress (heterophil-lymphocyte ratio; <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>n</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>513</mml:mn><mml:mtext>-</mml:mtext><mml:mn>647</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math> ). Using an information-theoretic and multimodel inference statistical approach, we found that habitat quality and social group size did not affect any immune index, despite hypothesized links to resource abundance and parasite pressure. Rather, short-term variation in temperature and rainfall was related to immune function, while overall differences between seasons were small or absent, despite substantial seasonal variation in climate. Contrary to our expectation, we found no evidence that physiological stress mediated any effects of short-term climatic variables on immune indexes, and alternative mechanisms may be involved. Our results may be interpreted from the perspective of reactive scope models, whereby predictive homeostasis maintains standing immune function relative to long-term demands, while short-term environmental change, being less predictable, has a greater influence on baseline immune function.
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10
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Zylberberg M, Van Hemert C, Handel CM, DeRisi JL. Avian keratin disorder of Alaska black-capped chickadees is associated with Poecivirus infection. Virol J 2018; 15:100. [PMID: 29903045 PMCID: PMC6003155 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-018-1008-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [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: 02/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Avian keratin disorder (AKD) is an epizootic of debilitating beak deformities, first documented in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) in Alaska during the late 1990s. Similar deformities have now been recorded in dozens of species of birds across multiple continents. Despite this, the etiology of AKD has remained elusive, making it difficult to assess the impacts of this disease on wild populations. We previously identified an association between infection with a novel picornavirus, Poecivirus, and AKD in a small cohort of black-capped chickadees. METHODS To test if the association between Poecivirus and AKD holds in a larger study population, we used targeted PCR followed by Sanger sequencing to screen 124 symptomatic and asymptomatic black-capped chickadees for Poecivirus infection. We further compared the efficacy of multiple non-terminal field sampling methods (buccal swabs, cloacal swabs, fecal samples, and blood samples) for Poecivirus screening. Finally, we used both in situ hybridization and a strand-specific expression assay to localize Poecivirus to beak tissue of AKD-positive individuals and to determine if virus is actively replicating in beak tissue. RESULTS Poecivirus was detected in 28/28 (100%) individuals with AKD, but only 9/96 (9.4%) asymptomatic individuals with apparently normal beaks (p < 0.0001). We found that cloacal swabs are the most sensitive of these sample types for detecting Poecivirus in birds with AKD, but that buccal swabs should be combined with cloacal swabs in evaluating the infection status of asymptomatic birds. Finally, we used both in situ hybridization and a strand-specific expression assay to localize Poecivirus to beak tissue of AKD-positive individuals and to provide evidence of active viral replication. CONCLUSION The data presented here show a strong, statistically significant relationship between Poecivirus infection and AKD, and provide evidence that Poecivirus is indeed an avian virus, infecting and actively replicating in beak tissue of AKD-affected BCCH. Taken together, these data corroborate and extend the evidence for a potential causal association between Poecivirus and AKD in the black-capped chickadee. Poecivirus continues to warrant further investigation as a candidate agent of AKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxine Zylberberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94158 USA
| | | | - Colleen M. Handel
- U. S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
| | - Joseph L. DeRisi
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143 USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, California, USA
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Samuel MD, Woodworth BL, Atkinson CT, Hart PJ, LaPointe DA. The epidemiology of avian pox and interaction with avian malaria in Hawaiian forest birds. ECOL MONOGR 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Samuel
- U.S. Geological Survey; Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; University of Wisconsin; Madison Wisconsin 53706 USA
| | - Bethany L. Woodworth
- U.S. Geological Survey; Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center; Hawaiʻi National Park; Hawaiʻi 96718 USA
- University of New England; Biddeford Maine 04005 USA
| | - Carter T. Atkinson
- U.S. Geological Survey; Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center; Hawaiʻi National Park; Hawaiʻi 96718 USA
| | | | - Dennis A. LaPointe
- U.S. Geological Survey; Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center; Hawaiʻi National Park; Hawaiʻi 96718 USA
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12
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Knutie SA. Relationships among introduced parasites, host defenses, and gut microbiota of Galapagos birds. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Knutie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut 06269 USA
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Tieleman BI. Understanding immune function as a pace of life trait requires environmental context. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018; 72:55. [PMID: 29563662 PMCID: PMC5843675 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2464-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
This article provides a brief historical perspective on the integration of physiology into the concept of the pace of life of birds, evaluates the fit of immune function into this framework, and asks what it will take to fruitfully understand immune functioning of birds in pace of life studies in the future. In the late 1970s, physiology started to seriously enter avian life history ecology, with energy as the main currency of interest, inspired by David Lack's work in the preceding decades emphasizing how food availability explained life history variation. In an effort to understand the trade-off between survival and reproduction, and specifically the mortality costs associated with hard work, in the 1980s and 1990s, other physiological phenomena entered the realm of animal ecologists, including endocrinology, oxidative stress, and immunology. Reviewing studies thus far to evaluate the role of immune function in a life history context and particularly to address the questions whether immune function (1) consistently varies with life history variation among free-living bird species and (2) mediates life history trade-offs in experiments with free-living bird species; I conclude that, unlike energy metabolism, the immune system does not closely covary with life history among species nor mediates the classical trade-offs within individuals. Instead, I propose that understanding the tremendous immunological variation uncovered among free-living birds over the past 25 years requires a paradigm shift. The paradigm should shift from viewing immune function as a costly trait involved in life history trade-offs to explicitly including the benefits of the immune system and placing it firmly in an environmental and ecological context. A first step forward will be to quantify the immunobiotic pressures presented by diverse environmental circumstances that both shape and challenge the immune system of free-living animals. Current developments in the fields of infectious wildlife diseases and host-microbe interactions provide promising steps in this direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. Irene Tieleman
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
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Ferreira BC, Ecco R, Couto RM, Coelho HE, Rossi DA, Beletti ME, Silva PL. Outbreak of cutaneous form of avian poxvirus disease in previously pox-vaccinated commercial turkeys. PESQUISA VETERINARIA BRASILEIRA 2018. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-5150-pvb-4463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT: This study describes an outbreak of avian poxvirus disease in previously pox-vaccinated turkeys in Brazil. The turkeys had suggestive gross lesions of cutaneous avian poxvirus in the skin of the head and cervical area without changes in the flock mortality rates. In the slaughterhouse, 30 carcasses were removed from the slaughter line to collect tissue from cutaneous lesions for histological analyses and characterization of the virus. The virus was identified by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent gene sequencing. Acanthosis, hyperkeratosis, and hydropic degeneration were seen on skin histopathology. Eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies (Bollinger) on keratinocytes were observed in 46.6% of the samples. Avian poxvirus DNA was detected on PCR in 83.3% of the total samples. PCR associated with histopathology had 93.3% of positivity for avian poxvirus. In the phylogenetic study, samples show 100% matching suggesting that the outbreak occurred by a single viral strain and was different from those strains affecting other wild birds such as canaries and sparrows. A single mutation (Adenine for Guanine) was detected in our study’s strain and in the strains of turkey, chickens, and vaccine strains published in GenBank. Also, when the sequence strain of the present study and sequences from GenBank of canarypox and sparrowpox strains were aligned, a Thymine was found replacing the Adenine or Guanine. The in ovo vaccination method as single-use in turkeys of this study apparently did not provide adequate protection against avianpox disease, but additional vaccination administered by wing-web when turkeys were 45-60 days old in the new flocks controlled the disease. In the subsequent year, new cases of this disease were not found. It was not possible to confirm the source of the virus strain, but infection with a field strain derived from chickens is one possibility, considering the poultry farm population in the area and biosecurity aspects. For wide characterization of avipoxvirus and differentiation among strains, the complete sequence of the viral genome is required.
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15
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Becker DJ, Streicker DG, Altizer S, Derryberry E. Using host species traits to understand the consequences of resource provisioning for host-parasite interactions. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:511-525. [PMID: 29023699 PMCID: PMC5836909 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Supplemental food provided to wildlife by human activities can be more abundant and predictable than natural resources, and subsequent changes in wildlife ecology can have profound impacts on host-parasite interactions. Identifying traits of species associated with increases or decreases in infection outcomes with resource provisioning could improve assessments of wildlife most prone to disease risks in changing environments. We conducted a phylogenetic meta-analysis of 342 host-parasite interactions across 56 wildlife species and three broad taxonomic groups of parasites to identify host-level traits that influence whether provisioning is associated with increases or decreases in infection. We predicted dietary generalists that capitalize on novel food would show greater infection in provisioned habitats owing to population growth and food-borne exposure to contaminants and parasite infectious stages. Similarly, species with fast life histories could experience stronger demographic and immunological benefits from provisioning that affect parasite transmission. We also predicted that wide-ranging and migratory behaviours could increase infection risks with provisioning if concentrated and non-seasonal foods promote dense aggregations that increase exposure to parasites. We found that provisioning increased infection with bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa (i.e. microparasites) most for wide-ranging, dietary generalist host species. Effect sizes for ectoparasites were also highest for host species with large home ranges but were instead lowest for dietary generalists. In contrast, the type of provisioning was a stronger correlate of infection outcomes for helminths than host species traits. Our analysis highlights host traits related to movement and feeding behaviour as important determinants of whether species experience greater infection with supplemental feeding. These results could help prioritize monitoring wildlife with particular trait profiles in anthropogenic habitats to reduce infectious disease risks in provisioned populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Becker
- Odum School of EcologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious DiseaseUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
| | - Daniel G. Streicker
- Odum School of EcologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
- MRC‐University of Glasgow Centre for Virus ResearchGlasgowUK
| | - Sonia Altizer
- Odum School of EcologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious DiseaseUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
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16
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Faust CL, McCallum HI, Bloomfield LSP, Gottdenker NL, Gillespie TR, Torney CJ, Dobson AP, Plowright RK. Pathogen spillover during land conversion. Ecol Lett 2018; 21:471-483. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.12904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christina L. Faust
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology; Montana State University; Montana MT USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Princeton University; Princeton NJ USA
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; Universtiy of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Hamish I. McCallum
- Environmental Futures Research Institute and Griffith School of Environment; Griffith University; Griffith Qld. Australia
| | - Laura S. P. Bloomfield
- Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources; Stanford University; Stanford CA USA
| | - Nicole L. Gottdenker
- Department of Veterinary Pathology; College of Veterinary Medicine; University of Georgia; Athens GA USA
| | - Thomas R. Gillespie
- Department of Environmental Sciences; Department of Environmental Health; Rollins School of Public Health; Program In Population; Biology, Ecology and Evolution; Emory University; Athens GA USA
| | - Colin J. Torney
- School of Mathematics and Statistics; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Andrew P. Dobson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Princeton University; Princeton NJ USA
| | - Raina K. Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology; Montana State University; Montana MT USA
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17
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Urban Land Cover Change in Ecologically Fragile Environments: The Case of the Galapagos Islands. LAND 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/land7010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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18
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McCallum H, Kerlin DH, Ellis W, Carrick F. Assessing the significance of endemic disease in conservation-koalas, chlamydia, and koala retrovirus as a case study. Conserv Lett 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hamish McCallum
- Griffith School of Environment and Environmental Futures Research Institute; Griffith University; Nathan Queensland Australia
| | - Douglas H. Kerlin
- Environmental Futures Research Institute; Griffith University; Nathan Queensland 4111 Australia
| | - William Ellis
- School of Agriculture and Food Science; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Frank Carrick
- Koala Study Program, Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Queensland Australia
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Schmitt C, Garant D, Bélisle M, Pelletier F. Agricultural Intensification Is Linked to Constitutive Innate Immune Function in a Wild Bird Population. Physiol Biochem Zool 2017; 90:201-209. [DOI: 10.1086/689679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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20
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AN EPIZOOTIC OF EMERGING NOVEL AVIAN POX IN CARRION CROWS (CORVUS CORONE) AND LARGE-BILLED CROWS (CORVUS MACRORHYNCHOS) IN JAPAN. J Wildl Dis 2016; 52:230-41. [PMID: 26967129 DOI: 10.7589/2015-07-172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In 2006-10, an epizootic of emerging avian pox occurred in Carrion Crows ( Corvus corone ) and Large-billed Crows ( Corvus macrorhynchos ), leading to mortality of juvenile crows in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. We diagnosed 27 crows with proliferative skin lesions (19 carcasses and eight biopsied cases [one in zoo captivity]) as avian pox clinically, histopathologically by detection of Avipoxvirus-specific 4b core protein (P4b) gene, and epidemiologically. The fatal cases demonstrated intensively severe infection and aggressive lesions with secondary bacterial infection. Since the first identification of avian pox in Sapporo, Japan, in 2006, the frequency of mortality events has increased, peaking in 2007-08. Mortalities have subsequently occurred in other areas, suggesting disease expansion. In Sapporo, prevalence of avian pox evaluated by field censuses during 2007-12 was 17.6% (6.6-27.2%), peaked during 2007-08 and 2008-09, and then decreased. All diseased crows were juveniles, except for one adult. The number of crows assembling in the winter roosts had been stable for >10 yr; however, it declined in 2007-08, decreased by about 50% in 2008-09, and recovered to the previous level in 2009-10, correlated with the avian pox outbreak. Thus, avian pox probably contributed to the unusual crow population decline. All P4b sequences detected in six specimens in Sapporo were identical and different from any previously reported sequences. The sequence detected in the zoo-kept crow was distinct from any reported clades, and interspecies transmission was suspected. This report demonstrates an emerging novel avian pox in the Japanese avifauna and in global populations of Carrion Crows and Large-billed Crows. Longitudinal monitoring is needed to evaluate its impact on the crow population.
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Schultz EM, Hahn TP, Klasing KC. Photoperiod but not food restriction modulates innate immunity in an opportunistic breeder, Loxia curvirostra. J Exp Biol 2016; 220:722-730. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.149898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
An organism's investment in immune function often varies seasonally but understanding of how fluctuations in environmental conditions directly modulate investment remains limited. This experiment investigated how changes in photoperiod and food availability affect investment in constitutive innate immunity and the acute phase response induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injections in captive red crossbills (Loxia curvirostra). Crossbills are reproductively flexible songbirds that specialize on an unpredictably available food resource and display temporal variation in immunity in the wild. Birds were separated into four treatments and exposed to long or short day lengths for six weeks before continuing on an ad-libitum diet or experiencing a 20% food reduction for 10 days. Birds were un-injected or injected with LPS both before and after diet change. Innate immunity was quantified throughout the experiment to assess effects of photoperiod, food availability, and their interactions on hemolysis-hemagglutination, haptoglobin, bacterial killing ability, and leukocyte counts. Overall, increasing day length significantly increased both bacterial killing ability and leukocyte counts. Surprisingly, food restriction had little effect on the immune parameters, potentially owing to the “low cost” environment of captivity and suggesting that investment in innate immunity is prioritized and maintained whenever possible. LPS injections induced stereotypical sickness behaviors and increased bacterial killing ability in short day birds and complement activity (hemolysis) both before and after food restriction. These results demonstrate robust seasonal modulation of immune investment and an ability to maintain innate immunity in the face of limited resources in these temporally flexible songbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M. Schultz
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group and Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Current Address: Department of Biology, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH 43022, USA
| | - Thomas P. Hahn
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Kirk C. Klasing
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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22
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Young HS, Dirzo R, Helgen KM, McCauley DJ, Nunn CL, Snyder P, Veblen KE, Zhao S, Ezenwa VO. Large wildlife removal drives immune defence increases in rodents. Funct Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hillary S. Young
- University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
- Division of Mammals National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Washington District of Columbia 20013 USA
- Mpala Research Centre Box 555 Nanyuki Kenya
| | - Rodolfo Dirzo
- Department of Biology Stanford University Stanford California 94305 USA
| | - Kristofer M. Helgen
- Division of Mammals National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Washington District of Columbia 20013 USA
| | - Douglas J. McCauley
- University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
- Mpala Research Centre Box 555 Nanyuki Kenya
| | - Charles L. Nunn
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology Duke University Durham North Carolina 27708 USA
- Duke Global Health Institute Duke University Durham North Carolina 27708 USA
| | - Paul Snyder
- Odum School of Ecology and Department of Infectious Diseases College of Veterinary Medicine University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA
- Department of Integrative Biology Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Kari E. Veblen
- Mpala Research Centre Box 555 Nanyuki Kenya
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center Utah State University Logan Utah 84322 USA
| | - Serena Zhao
- Division of Mammals National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Washington District of Columbia 20013 USA
- Mpala Research Centre Box 555 Nanyuki Kenya
| | - Vanessa O. Ezenwa
- Mpala Research Centre Box 555 Nanyuki Kenya
- Odum School of Ecology and Department of Infectious Diseases College of Veterinary Medicine University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA
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Abstract
The impact of haematozoan infection on host fitness has received substantial attention since Hamilton and Zuk posited that parasites are important drivers of sexual selection. However, short-term studies testing the assumption that these parasites consistently reduce host fitness in the wild have produced contradictory results. To address this complex issue, we conducted a long-term study examining the relationship between naturally occurring infection with Haemoproteus and Plasmodium, and lifetime reproductive success and survival of Mountain White-crowned Sparrows. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that birds infected with haematozoan parasites have reduced survival (as determined by overwinter return rates) and reproductive success. Contrary to expectation, there was no relationship between Haemoproteus and Plasmodium infection and reproduction or survival in males, nor was there a relationship between Plasmodium infection and reproduction in females. Interestingly, Haemoproteus-infected females had significantly higher overwinter return rates and these females fledged more than twice as many chicks during their lifetimes as did uninfected females. We discuss the impact of parasitic infections on host fitness in light of these findings and suggest that, in the case of less virulent pathogens, investment in excessive immune defence may decrease lifetime reproduction.
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Zylberberg M. Common measures of immune function vary with time of day and sampling protocol in five passerine species. J Exp Biol 2015; 218:757-66. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.111716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Ecological immunology is a rapidly growing field of study that focuses on understanding variation in immune systems across species and how this relates to species ecology and evolution. Newly developed field methods aimed at studying variation in immune function in a field setting have yielded many insights. Nonetheless, there continues to be much debate regarding the interpretation of field measures of immune function. There is substantial evidence to suggest that handling stress could introduce variation into measures of immune function, yet no study has examined the impacts of incremental changes in handling times under 30 min on immune measures. Nor has any study examined variation in immune function with time of day, though other physiological measures, including glucocorticoids known to impact immune function, vary with time of day. Here, I used observational field data to test the hypothesis that innate immune function varies with handling stress. Furthermore, I tested the hypothesis that innate immune function changes over the course of the day. I show that measures of innate immune function vary with (1) handling stress over short time periods typical of sample collection in the field, and (2) the time of day that an individual is sampled. I discuss these findings from an ecological perspective and suggest that the observed variation is not random, but is likely to have important adaptive functions. I end with a summary of the practical implications of these findings for field studies of ecological immunology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxine Zylberberg
- University of California, San Francisco, 1700 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94158-2330, USA
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Le Loc'h G, Paul MC, Camus-Bouclainville C, Bertagnoli S. Outbreaks of Pox Disease Due to Canarypox-Like and Fowlpox-Like Viruses in Large-Scale Houbara Bustard Captive-Breeding Programmes, in Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. Transbound Emerg Dis 2015; 63:e187-e196. [PMID: 25651753 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Infectious diseases can be serious threats for the success of reinforcement programmes of endangered species. Houbara Bustard species (Chlamydotis undulata and Chlamydotis macqueenii), whose populations declined in the last decades, have been captive-bred for conservation purposes for more than 15 years in North Africa and the Middle East. Field observations show that pox disease, caused by avipoxviruses (APV), regularly emerges in conservation projects of Houbara Bustard, despite a very strict implementation of both vaccination and biosecurity. Data collected from captive flocks of Houbara Bustard in Morocco from 2006 through 2013 and in the United Arab Emirates from 2011 through 2013 were analysed, and molecular investigations were carried out to define the virus strains involved. Pox cases (n = 2311) were observed during more than half of the year (88% of the months in Morocco, 54% in the United Arab Emirates). Monthly morbidity rates showed strong variations across the time periods considered, species and study sites: Four outbreaks were described during the study period on both sites. Molecular typing revealed that infections were mostly due to canarypox-like viruses in Morocco while fowlpox-like viruses were predominant in the United Arab Emirates. This study highlights that APV remain a major threat to consider in bird conservation initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Le Loc'h
- RENECO Wildlife Consultants LLC, Abu Dhabi, UAE. .,Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, UMR1225, IHAP, Toulouse, France. .,INRA, UMR1225, IHAP, Toulouse, France.
| | - M C Paul
- Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, UMR1225, IHAP, Toulouse, France.,INRA, UMR1225, IHAP, Toulouse, France
| | - C Camus-Bouclainville
- Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, UMR1225, IHAP, Toulouse, France.,INRA, UMR1225, IHAP, Toulouse, France
| | - S Bertagnoli
- Université de Toulouse, INP, ENVT, UMR1225, IHAP, Toulouse, France.,INRA, UMR1225, IHAP, Toulouse, France
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Relatively high prevalence of pox-like lesions in Henslow's sparrow (Ammodrammus henslowii) among nine species of migratory grassland passerines in Wisconsin, USA. J Wildl Dis 2014; 50:810-6. [PMID: 25121409 DOI: 10.7589/2013-09-252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Globally, Avipoxvirus species affect over 230 species of wild birds and can significantly impair survival. During banding of nine grassland songbird species (n=346 individuals) in southwestern Wisconsin, USA, we noted species with a 2-6% prevalence of pox-like lesions (possible evidence of current infection) and 4-10% missing digits (potential evidence of past infection). These prevalences approach those recorded among island endemic birds (4-9% and 9-20% for the Galapagos and Hawaii, respectively) for which Avipoxvirus species have been implicated as contributing to dramatic population declines. Henslow's Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii (n=165 individuals) had the highest prevalence of lesions (6.1%) and missing digits (9.7%). Among a subset of 26 Henslow's Sparrows from which blood samples were obtained, none had detectable antibody reactive to fowlpox virus antigen. However, four samples (18%) had antibody to canarypox virus antigen with test sample and negative control ratios (P/N values) ranging from 2.4 to 6.5 (median 4.3). Of four antibody-positive birds, two had lesions recorded (one was also missing a digit), one had digits missing, and one had no signs. Additionally, the birds with lesions or missing digits had higher P/N values than did the antibody-positive bird without missing digits or recorded lesions. This study represents an impetus for considering the impacts and dynamics of disease caused by Avipoxvirus among North American grassland bird species.
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