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Kilpatrick AM, Seidl CM, Ipsaro IJ, Garrison CE, Fabbri G, Howell PI, McGowan AG, White BJ, Mitchell SN. Transinfection of Wolbachia wAlbB into Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes does not alter vector competence for Hawaiian avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum GRW4). PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012052. [PMID: 39102421 PMCID: PMC11326542 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Avian malaria is expanding upslope with warmer temperatures and driving multiple species of Hawaiian birds towards extinction. Methods to reduce malaria transmission are urgently needed to prevent further declines. Releasing Wolbachia-infected incompatible male mosquitoes could suppress mosquito populations and releasing Wolbachia-infected female mosquitoes (or both sexes) could reduce pathogen transmission if the Wolbachia strain reduced vector competence. We cleared Culex quinquefasciatus of their natural Wolbachia pipientis wPip infection and transinfected them with Wolbachia wAlbB isolated from Aedes albopictus. We show that wAlbB infection was transmitted transovarially, and demonstrate cytoplasmic incompatibility with wild-type mosquitoes infected with wPip from Oahu and Maui, Hawaii. We measured vector competence for avian malaria, Plasmodium relictum, lineage GRW4, of seven mosquito lines (two with wAlbB; three with natural wPip infection, and two cleared of Wolbachia infection) by allowing them to feed on canaries infected with recently collected field isolates of Hawaiian P. relictum. We tested 73 groups (Ntotal = 1176) of mosquitoes for P. relictum infection in abdomens and thoraxes 6-14 days after feeding on a range of parasitemias from 0.028% to 2.49%, as well as a smaller subset of salivary glands. We found no measurable effect of Wolbachia on any endpoint, but strong effects of parasitemia, days post feeding, and mosquito strain on both abdomen and thorax infection prevalence. These results suggest that releasing male wAlbB-infected C. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes could suppress wPip-infected mosquito populations, but would have little positive or negative impact on mosquito vector competence for P. relictum if wAlbB became established in local mosquito populations. More broadly, the lack of Wolbachia effects on vector competence we observed highlights the variable impacts of both native and transinfected Wolbachia infections in mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Christa M. Seidl
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Isaiah J. Ipsaro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Chris E. Garrison
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Giulia Fabbri
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Paul I. Howell
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Austin G. McGowan
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Bradley J. White
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Sara N. Mitchell
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, California, United States of America
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Mora-Rubio C, Garcia-Longoria L, Ferraguti M, Magallanes S, Cruz JT, de Lope F, Marzal A. The Impact of Avian Haemosporidian Infection on Feather Quality and Feather Growth Rate of Migratory Passerines. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1772. [PMID: 38929391 PMCID: PMC11200494 DOI: 10.3390/ani14121772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bird feathers have several functions, including flight, insulation, communication, and camouflage. Since feathers degrade over time, birds need to moult regularly to maintain these functions. However, environmental factors like food scarcity, stress, and parasite infections can affect feather quality and moult speed. This study examined the impact of avian haemosporidian infection and uropygial gland volume, as well as feather quality and feather growth rate in two migratory hirundine species captured in southwestern Spain-the house martin (Delichon urbicum) and sand martin (Riparia riparia). Our findings showed that the prevalence of infection varied among species, with house martins having the highest rates, possibly due to their larger colony size. Moreover, haemosporidian infection had a different impact on each species; infected house martins exhibited lower feather quality than healthy individuals, although this outcome was not observed in sand martins. Furthermore, no effect of infection on feather growth rate was observed in both hirundinids. Additionally, feather growth rate only correlated positively with feather quality in house martins. Finally, no link was observed between uropygial gland volume and feather quality or feather growth rate in any of the species in this study. These findings highlight the effect of haemosporidian infections on the plumage of migratory birds, marking, for the first time, how avian haemosporidian infection is shown to adversely impact feather quality. Even so, further research is needed to explore these relationships more deeply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Mora-Rubio
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (L.G.-L.); (F.d.L.); (A.M.)
| | - Luz Garcia-Longoria
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (L.G.-L.); (F.d.L.); (A.M.)
| | - Martina Ferraguti
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Doñana Biological Station (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.F.); (S.M.)
- Centre for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health Network (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Magallanes
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Doñana Biological Station (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 41092 Sevilla, Spain; (M.F.); (S.M.)
- Centre for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health Network (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - João T. Cruz
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health (CIISA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FMV-ULisboa), University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Florentino de Lope
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (L.G.-L.); (F.d.L.); (A.M.)
| | - Alfonso Marzal
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (L.G.-L.); (F.d.L.); (A.M.)
- Wildlife Research Group, San Martin National University, 22021 Tarapoto, Peru
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Cruz JT, de Carvalho LM, Ferreira MR, Nunes C, Casero M, Marzal A. Avian Haemosporidian Infection in Wildlife Rehabilitation Centres of Portugal: Causes, Consequences, and Genetic Diversity. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1216. [PMID: 38672371 PMCID: PMC11047687 DOI: 10.3390/ani14081216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, over 40% of bird species in Europe have experienced poor and bad conservation status, with more than 30% of bird species in mainland Portugal threatened with extinction. Along with anthropogenic factors, parasites and pathogens such as avian haemosporidians have been suggested to be responsible for these avian population declines. Wildlife rehabilitation centres play an essential role in species conservation and preservation. Moreover, animals admitted for rehabilitation can provide valuable information regarding transmission and pathogenicity of many diseases that affect wild birds that are rarely sampled in nature. However, reports of haemosporidians in captive birds are still limited. Here, we explored the prevalence and genetic diversity of avian haemosporidians in 89 birds from 29 species admitted to rehabilitation centres in Portugal, showing an overall infection prevalence of 30.3%. The prevalence of infection was higher in Strigiformes and in birds admitted to rehabilitation centres due to debilitating diseases. Remarkably, 30% of the infected bird species have not been found to harbour malaria parasites in preceding studies. We detected 15 different haemosporidian lineages infecting a third of bird species sampled. Notably, 2 out of these 15 detected haemosporidian lineages have not been obtained previously in other studies. Furthermore, we also identified nine new host-parasite interactions representing new host records for these haemosporidian parasites. Finally, our results revealed that birds infected with haemosporidians require longer rehabilitation treatments, which increase the economic costs for rehabilitation and may impair their survival prospects. These findings emphasise the importance of integrating haemosporidian infection considerations into rehabilitation protocols, highlighting the challenges posed by these infections in avian conservation and rehabilitation, including economic and logistical demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- João T. Cruz
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health (CIISA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FMV-ULisboa), University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.T.C.); (L.M.d.C.)
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Luís Madeira de Carvalho
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health (CIISA), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FMV-ULisboa), University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.T.C.); (L.M.d.C.)
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mariana Ribeiro Ferreira
- Centre for Studies and Rehabilitation of Wild Animals of Castelo Branco (CERAS), Quercus ANCN, Rua Tenente Valadim, 17, 6000-284 Castelo Branco, Portugal;
| | - Carolina Nunes
- Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of Santo André (CRASSA), Quercus ANCN, Moinho Novo, Galiza, 7500-022 Vila Nova de Santo André, Portugal;
| | - María Casero
- Wildlife Rehabilitation and Investigation Centre of the Ria Formosa (RIAS), Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, 8700-194 Olhão, Portugal;
| | - Alfonso Marzal
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
- Wildlife Research Group, San Martin National University, Tarapoto 22021, Peru
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Ferreira FC, Videvall E, Seidl CM, Wagner NE, Kilpatrick AM, Fleischer RC, Fonseca DM. Transcriptional response of individual Hawaiian Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes to the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum. Malar J 2022; 21:249. [PMID: 36038897 PMCID: PMC9422152 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04271-x] [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: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium parasites that cause bird malaria occur in all continents except Antarctica and are primarily transmitted by mosquitoes in the genus Culex. Culex quinquefasciatus, the mosquito vector of avian malaria in Hawaiʻi, became established in the islands in the 1820s. While the deadly effects of malaria on endemic bird species have been documented for many decades, vector-parasite interactions in avian malaria systems are relatively understudied. Methods To evaluate the gene expression response of mosquitoes exposed to a Plasmodium infection intensity known to occur naturally in Hawaiʻi, offspring of wild-collected Hawaiian Cx. quinquefasciatus were fed on a domestic canary infected with a fresh isolate of Plasmodium relictum GRW4 from a wild-caught Hawaiian honeycreeper. Control mosquitoes were fed on an uninfected canary. Transcriptomes of five infected and three uninfected individual mosquitoes were sequenced at each of three stages of the parasite life cycle: 24 h post feeding (hpf) during ookinete invasion; 5 days post feeding (dpf) when oocysts are developing; 10 dpf when sporozoites are released and invade the salivary glands. Results Differential gene expression analyses showed that during ookinete invasion (24 hpf), genes related to oxidoreductase activity and galactose catabolism had lower expression levels in infected mosquitoes compared to controls. Oocyst development (5 dpf) was associated with reduced expression of a gene with a predicted innate immune function. At 10 dpf, infected mosquitoes had reduced expression levels of a serine protease inhibitor, and further studies should assess its role as a Plasmodium agonist in C. quinquefasciatus. Overall, the differential gene expression response of Hawaiian Culex exposed to a Plasmodium infection intensity known to occur naturally in Hawaiʻi was low, but more pronounced during ookinete invasion. Conclusions This is the first analysis of the transcriptional responses of vectors to malaria parasites in non-mammalian systems. Interestingly, few similarities were found between the response of Culex infected with a bird Plasmodium and those reported in Anopheles infected with human Plasmodium. The relatively small transcriptional changes observed in mosquito genes related to immune response and nutrient metabolism support conclusions of low fitness costs often documented in experimental challenges of Culex with avian Plasmodium. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-022-04271-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco C Ferreira
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA. .,Center for Vector Biology, Entomology Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
| | - Elin Videvall
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Christa M Seidl
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Nicole E Wagner
- Center for Vector Biology, Entomology Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - A Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Robert C Fleischer
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Dina M Fonseca
- Center for Vector Biology, Entomology Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
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Carlson JS, Nelms B, Barker CM, Reisen WK, Sehgal RNM, Cornel AJ. Avian malaria co-infections confound infectivity and vector competence assays of Plasmodium homopolare. Parasitol Res 2018; 117:2385-2394. [PMID: 29845414 PMCID: PMC6061047 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-5924-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Currently, there are very few studies of avian malaria that investigate relationships among the host-vector-parasite triad concomitantly. In the current study, we experimentally measured the vector competence of several Culex mosquitoes for a newly described avian malaria parasite, Plasmodium homopolare. Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) blood infected with a low P. homopolare parasitemia was inoculated into a naïve domestic canary (Serinus canaria forma domestica). Within 5 to 10 days post infection (dpi), the canary unexpectedly developed a simultaneous high parasitemic infection of Plasmodium cathemerium (Pcat6) and a low parasitemic infection of P. homopolare, both of which were detected in blood smears. During this infection period, PCR detected Pcat6, but not P. homopolare in the canary. Between 10 and 60 dpi, Pcat6 blood stages were no longer visible and PCR no longer amplified Pcat6 parasite DNA from canary blood. However, P. homopolare blood stages remained visible, albeit still at very low parasitemias, and PCR was able to amplify P. homopolare DNA. This pattern of mixed Pcat6 and P. homopolare infection was repeated in three secondary infected canaries that were injected with blood from the first infected canary. Mosquitoes that blood-fed on the secondary infected canaries developed infections with Pcat6 as well as another P. cathemerium lineage (Pcat8); none developed PCR detectable P. homopolare infections. These observations suggest that the original P. homopolare-infected songbird also had two un-detectable P. cathemerium lineages/strains. The vector and host infectivity trials in this study demonstrated that current molecular assays may significantly underreport the extent of mixed avian malaria infections in vectors and hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny S Carlson
- Department of Entomology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | | | - Christopher M Barker
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - William K Reisen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Ravinder N M Sehgal
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Anthony J Cornel
- Department of Entomology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Vector Genetics Laboratory, Dept. Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Adjunct Appointment, School of Health Systems & Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Bradshaw AC, Tell LA, Ernest HB, Bahan S, Carlson J, Sehgal RNM. Detection and prevalence of Haemoproteus archilochus (Haemosporida, Haemoproteidae) in two species of California hummingbirds. Parasitol Res 2017; 116:1879-1885. [PMID: 28534106 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-017-5463-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Haemosporidian blood parasites are transmitted to a wide range of avian hosts via blood-sucking dipteran vectors. Microscopy has revealed an impressive diversity of avian haemosporidia with more than 250 species described. Moreover, PCR and subsequent sequence analyses have suggested a much greater diversity of haemosporidia than morphological analyses alone. Given the importance of these parasites, very few studies have focused on the charismatic hummingbirds. To date, three Haemoproteus species (Haemoproteus archilochus, Haemoproteus trochili, and Haemoproteus witti) and one Leucocytozoon species (Leucocytozoon quynzae) have been described in blood samples taken from hummingbirds (Trochilidae). Unconfirmed Plasmodium lineages have also been detected in hummingbirds. Here, we report the detection of H. archilochus in two hummingbird species (Calypte anna and Archilochus alexandri) sampled in Northern California and perform a phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene lineages. A total of 261 hummingbirds (157 C. anna, 104 A. alexandri) were sampled and screened for blood parasites using PCR and microscopy techniques. Combining both methods, 4 (2.55%) haemosporidian infections were detected in C. anna and 18 (17.31%) haemosporidian infections were detected in A. alexandri. Molecular analyses revealed four distinct H. archilocus cyt b lineages, which clustered as a monophyletic clade. No species of Plasmodium or Leucocytozoon were detected in this study, raising the possibility of specific vector associations with hummingbirds. These results provide resources for future studies of haemosporidian prevalence, diversity, and pathogenicity in California hummingbird populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A C Bradshaw
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - L A Tell
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, USA
| | - H B Ernest
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - S Bahan
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, USA
| | - J Carlson
- Department of Entomology, University of California at Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, USA
| | - R N M Sehgal
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Lutz HL, Marra NJ, Grewe F, Carlson JS, Palinauskas V, Valkiūnas G, Stanhope MJ. Laser capture microdissection microscopy and genome sequencing of the avian malaria parasite, Plasmodium relictum. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:4503-4510. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5237-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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