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De La Torre GM, Kirchgatter K, Anjos CCD, Manica LT, Campião KM. Prevalence and composition of haemosporidians in an avian community from a World Heritage area: Associations with host foraging strata and forest regeneration. Acta Trop 2024; 257:107286. [PMID: 38876165 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107286] [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: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Forest regeneration is becoming a powerful tool to combat land conversion which covers 30 % of the Neotropical territory. However, little is known about the effect of forest regeneration on vector-borne diseases. Here, we describe the haemosporidian lineage composition across a successional gradient within an Atlantic Forest bird community. We test whether forest successional stages, in addition to host life history traits affect haemosporidian infection probability. We sampled birds at 16 sampling units with different successional stages between 2017 and 2018 within a forest remnant located in Antonina, Paraná, Brazil. We captured bird individuals using mist-nets, identified them to the species level, and collected blood samples to detect and identify Plasmodium and Haemoproteus lineages based on molecular analysis. We used a Bayesian phylogenetic linear model with a Bernoulli distribution to test whether the haemosporidian infection probability is affected by nest type, foraging stratum, and forest successional stage. We captured 322 bird individuals belonging to 52 species and 21 families. We found 31 parasite lineages and an overall haemosporidian prevalence of 23.9 %, with most infections being caused by Plasmodium (21.7 % of prevalence). The Plasmodium probability of infection was associated with forest successional stage and bird foraging stratum. Birds from the secondary forest in an intermediate stage of succession are more likely to be infected by the parasites than birds from the primary forests (β = 1.21, 95 % CI = 0.11 - 2.43), birds from upper strata exhibit a lower probability of infection than birds from lower foraging strata (β = -1.81, 95 % CI = -3.80 - -0.08). Nest type did not affect the Plasmodium probability of infection. Our results highlight the relevance of forest succession on haemosporidian infection dynamics, which is particularly relevant in a world where natural regeneration is the main tool used in forest restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Massaccesi De La Torre
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Sistemas Costeiros e Oceânicos, Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Centro de Estudos do Mar, Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil.
| | - Karin Kirchgatter
- Instituto Pasteur, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Carolina Clares Dos Anjos
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lilian Tonelli Manica
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Ornitologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Karla Magalhães Campião
- Laboratório de Interações Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
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2
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Hernández-Ospina MC, Chitan-Guerrero D, Alvarez-Londoño J, Bohada-Murillo M, Martínez-Sánchez ET, Rivera-Páez FA, Castaño-Villa GJ. Avian haemosporidians of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus from resident and Neotropical migrant birds in Colombia. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:252. [PMID: 38922536 PMCID: PMC11208266 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08260-8] [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: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Avian haemosporidians of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus are a group of widely distributed blood parasites that can negatively affect the fitness of their hosts. Colombia contains the greatest diversity of birds on the planet, but knowledge about the associations between haemosporidian and its avifauna is scarce and fragmented. We collected blood samples from 255 birds (203 residents and 52 neotropical migrants) belonging to 27 families and 108 species. The study was conducted in six localities in the inter-Andean valleys of the Cauca and Magdalena rivers. Parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus were identified in the samples by morphological and molecular analysis of a fragment of the mitochondrial gene cyt b. Among the samples, 9.3% (n = 24) were positive for Plasmodium or Haemoproteus. Co-infection with Plasmodium and Haemoproteus was found in Red-eyed Vireo. Seventeen haemosporidian lineages were identified, five of which were reported for the first time in resident birds (Common Ground Dove, Checker-throated Stipplethroat, Tropical Kingbird, Pale-breasted Thrush, and Ruddy-breasted Seedeater) and one in the Summer Tanager (neotropical migrant). The research results confirm the wide diversity of haemosporidian present in tropical lowlands and the possible role of neotropical migratory birds in dissemination on haemosporidian along their migratory routes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Camila Hernández-Ospina
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas-GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10 A.A 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Diego Chitan-Guerrero
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas-GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10 A.A 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Johnathan Alvarez-Londoño
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas-GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10 A.A 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Maestría en Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10 A.A 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Mauricio Bohada-Murillo
- Maestría en Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10 A.A 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Grupo de Investigación en Ecosistemas Tropicales, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10 A.A 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Estefani T Martínez-Sánchez
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas-GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10 A.A 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
- Doctorado en Ciencias-Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10 A.A 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Fredy A Rivera-Páez
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas-GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10 A.A 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia.
| | - Gabriel J Castaño-Villa
- Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas-GEBIOME, Departamento de Desarrollo Rural y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de Caldas, Carrera 35 No. 62-160 A.A 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
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3
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Darío Hernandes Córdoba O, Torres-Romero EJ, Villalobos F, Chapa-Vargas L, Santiago-Alarcon D. Energy input, habitat heterogeneity and host specificity drive avian haemosporidian diversity at continental scales. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232705. [PMID: 38444334 PMCID: PMC10915542 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2705] [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: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The correct identification of variables affecting parasite diversity and assemblage composition at different spatial scales is crucial for understanding how pathogen distribution responds to anthropogenic disturbance and climate change. Here, we used a database of avian haemosporidian parasites to test how the taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic structure of the genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon from three zoogeographic regions are related to surrogate variables of Earth's energy input, habitat heterogeneity (climatic diversity, landscape heterogeneity, host richness and human disturbance) and ecological interactions (resource use), which was measured by a novel assemblage-level metric related to parasite niche overlap (degree of generalism). We found that different components of energy input explained variation in richness for each genus. We found that human disturbance influences the phylogenetic structure of Haemoproteus while the degree of generalism explained richness and phylogenetic structure of Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon genera. Furthermore, landscape attributes related to human disturbance (human footprint) can filter Haemoproteus assemblages by their phylogenetic relatedness. Finally, assembly processes related to resource use within parasite assemblages modify species richness and phylogenetic structure of Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon assemblages. Overall, our study highlighted the genus-specific patterns with the different components of Earth's energy budget, human disturbances and degree of generalism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erik Joaquín Torres-Romero
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Conservación de Fauna Silvestre, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, DF, Mexico
- División de Biología, Tecnológico Nacional de México Campus Zacapoaxtla, Subdirección de Investigación y Posgrado, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Fabricio Villalobos
- Red de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, AC Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Leonardo Chapa-Vargas
- División de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, AC, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Diego Santiago-Alarcon
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 12037 USF Beard Drive, SCA 110, Tampa, FL, USA
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Ramírez-Otarola N, Maldonado K, Valdés-Ferranty F, Newsome SD, Sabat P. Seasonal changes in diet, immune function, and oxidative stress in three passerines inhabiting a Mediterranean climate. Oecologia 2023; 203:395-405. [PMID: 37950102 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05474-y] [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: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Oxidative status and immune function are energy-demanding traits closely linked to diet composition, particularly resource availability and nutritional value. In seasonal environments, nutrient availability and diet quality fluctuate, potentially influencing these traits. However, limited evidence exists regarding these dietary effects on immune function in seasonal environments. In this study, we employed stable isotope analysis to assess the impact of seasonal changes in niche width and trophic level (i.e., δ15N) on two immune variables (hemolysis and hemagglutination scores) and two oxidative status parameters (lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant capacity) in three passerine species: Zonotrichia capensis (omnivorous), Troglodytes aedon (insectivorous), and Spinus barbatus (granivorous). We found that hemolysis scores varied seasonally in Z. capensis, with higher values in winter compared to summer. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) also increased during the winter in Z. capensis and S. barbatus. The isotopic niche width for Z. capensis and S. barbatus was smaller in winter than in summer, with the omnivorous species exhibiting a decrease in δ15N. Despite the seasonal shifts in ecological and physiological traits in Z. capensis, we identified no correlation between immune response and TAC with trophic level. In contrast, in the granivorous S. barbatus, the lower trophic level resulted in an increase in TAC without affecting immunity. Our findings revealed that dietary shifts do not uniformly impact oxidative status and immune function across bird species, highlighting species-specific responses to seasonal changes. This underscores the importance of integrating ecological and evolutionary perspectives when examining how diet shapes avian immunity and oxidative balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Ramírez-Otarola
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Karin Maldonado
- Departamento de Ciencias, Facultad de Artes Liberales, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernanda Valdés-Ferranty
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Seth D Newsome
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Pablo Sabat
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Santiago, Chile
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5
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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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Perrin A, Khimoun A, Ollivier A, Richard Y, Pérez-Rodríguez A, Faivre B, Garnier S. Habitat fragmentation matters more than habitat loss: The case of host-parasite interactions. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:951-969. [PMID: 36461661 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16807] [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: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
While ecologists agree that habitat loss has a substantial negative effect on biodiversity it is still very much a matter of debate whether habitat fragmentation has a lesser effect and whether this effect is positive or negative for biodiversity. Here, we assess the relative influence of tropical forest loss and fragmentation on the prevalence of vector-borne blood parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus in six forest bird species. We also determine whether habitat loss and fragmentation are associated with a rise or fall in prevalence. We sample more than 4000 individual birds from 58 forest sites in Guadeloupe and Martinique. Considering 34 host-parasite combinations independently and a fine characterization of the amount and spatial configuration of habitat, we use partial least square regressions to disentangle the relative effects of forest loss, forest fragmentation, landscape heterogeneity, and local weather conditions on spatial variability of parasite prevalence. Then we test for the magnitude and the sign of the effect of each environmental descriptor. Strikingly, we show that forest fragmentation explains twice as much of the variance in prevalence as habitat loss or landscape heterogeneity. In addition, habitat fragmentation leads to an overall rise in prevalence in Guadeloupe, but its effect is variable in Martinique. Both habitat loss and landscape heterogeneity exhibit taxon-specific effects. Our results suggest that habitat loss and fragmentation may have contrasting effects between tropical and temperate regions and that inter-specific interactions may not respond in the same way as more commonly used biodiversity metrics such as abundance and diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Perrin
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France.,Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Aurélie Khimoun
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Anthony Ollivier
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Yves Richard
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | | | - Bruno Faivre
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Stéphane Garnier
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
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Aguiar de Souza Penha V, Maia Chaves Bicalho Domingos F, Fecchio A, Bell JA, Weckstein JD, Ricklefs RE, Braga EM, de Abreu Moreira P, Soares L, Latta S, Tolesano-Pascoli G, Alquezar RD, Del-Claro K, Manica LT. Host life-history traits predict haemosporidian parasite prevalence in tanagers (Aves: Thraupidae). Parasitology 2022; 150:1-10. [PMID: 36226920 PMCID: PMC10090595 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182022001469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Vector-borne parasites are important ecological drivers influencing life-history evolution in birds by increasing host mortality or susceptibility to new diseases. Therefore, understanding why vulnerability to infection varies within a host clade is a crucial task for conservation biology and for understanding macroecological life-history patterns. Here, we studied the relationship of avian life-history traits and climate on the prevalence of Plasmodium and Parahaemoproteus parasites. We sampled 3569 individual birds belonging to 53 species of the family Thraupidae. Individuals were captured from 2007 to 2018 at 92 locations. We created 2 phylogenetic generalized least-squares models with Plasmodium and Parahaemoproteus prevalence as our response variables, and with the following predictor variables: climate PC1, climate PC2, body size, mixed-species flock participation, incubation period, migration, nest height, foraging height, forest cover, and diet. We found that Parahaemoproteus and Plasmodium prevalence was higher in species inhabiting open habitats. Tanager species with longer incubation periods had higher Parahaemoproteus prevalence as well, and we hypothesize that these longer incubation periods overlap with maximum vector abundances, resulting in a higher probability of infection among adult hosts during their incubation period and among chicks. Lastly, we found that Plasmodium prevalence was higher in species without migratory behaviour, with mixed-species flock participation, and with an omnivorous or animal-derived diet. We discuss the consequences of higher infection prevalence in relation to life-history traits in tanagers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alan Fecchio
- Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica (CIEMEP), CONICET – Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Esquel, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Jeffrey A. Bell
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, USA
| | - Jason D. Weckstein
- Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and Department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robert E. Ricklefs
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri–Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Erika Martins Braga
- Malaria Laboratory, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Letícia Soares
- Research Associate, National Aviary, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Steven Latta
- Conservation and Field Research, National Aviary, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Graziela Tolesano-Pascoli
- Zoology Department, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Renata Duarte Alquezar
- Animal Behavior Laboratory, Graduate Program in Ecology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Kleber Del-Claro
- Behavioral Ecology and Interactions Laboratory, Graduate Program in Ecology and Conservation of Natural Resources, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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8
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Host foraging behavior and nest type influence prevalence of avian haemosporidian parasites in the Pantanal. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:1407-1417. [PMID: 35106653 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07453-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Avian haemosporidians from the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus are vector transmitted parasites. A growing body of evidence suggests that variation in their prevalence within avian communities is correlated with a variety of avian ecological traits. Here, we examine the relationship between infection probability and diversity of haemosporidian lineages and avian host ecological traits (average body mass, foraging stratum, migratory behavior, and nest type). We used molecular methods to detect haemosporidian parasites in blood samples from 642 individual birds of 149 species surveyed at four localities in the Brazilian Pantanal. Based on cytochrome b sequences, we recovered 28 lineages of Plasmodium and 17 of Haemoproteus from 31 infected avian species. Variation in lineage diversity among bird species was not explained by avian ecological traits. Prevalence was heterogenous across avian hosts. Bird species that forage near the ground were less likely to be infected by Haemoproteus, whereas birds that build open cup nests were more likely infected by Haemoproteus. Furthermore, birds foraging in multiple strata were more likely to be infected by Plasmodium. Two other ecological traits, often related to host resistance (body mass and migratory behavior), did not predict infection probability among birds sampled in the Pantanal. Our results suggest that avian host traits are less important determinants of haemosporidian diversity in Pantanal than in other regions, but reinforces that host attributes, related to vector exposure, are to some extent important in modulating infection probability within an avian host assemblage.
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de Angeli Dutra D, Fecchio A, Braga ÉM, Poulin R. Haemosporidian taxonomic composition, network centrality and partner fidelity between resident and migratory avian hosts. Oecologia 2021; 197:501-509. [PMID: 34482439 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-05031-5] [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: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Migration can modify interaction dynamics between parasites and their hosts with migrant hosts able to disperse parasites and impact local community transmission. Thus, studying the relationships among migratory hosts and their parasites is fundamental to elucidate how migration shapes host-parasite interactions. Avian haemosporidians are some of the most prevalent and diverse group of wildlife parasites and are also widely studied as models in ecological and evolutionary research. Here, we contrast partner fidelity, network centrality and parasite taxonomic composition among resident and non-resident avian hosts using presence/absence data on haemosporidians parasitic in South American birds as study model. We ran multilevel Bayesian models to assess the role of migration in determining partner fidelity (i.e., normalized degree) and centrality (i.e., weighted closeness) in host-parasite networks of avian hosts and their respective haemosporidian parasites. In addition, to evaluate parasite taxonomic composition, we performed permutational multivariate analyses of variance to quantify dissimilarity in haemosporidian lineages infecting different host migratory categories. We observed similar partner fidelity and parasite taxonomic composition among resident and migratory hosts. Conversely, we demonstrate that migratory hosts play a more central role in host-parasite networks than residents. However, when evaluating partially and fully migratory hosts separately, we observed that only partially migratory species presented higher network centrality when compared to resident birds. Therefore, migration does not lead to differences in both partner fidelity and parasite taxonomic composition. However, migratory behavior is positively associated with network centrality, indicating migratory hosts play more important roles in shaping host-parasite interactions and influence local transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alan Fecchio
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, 78060-900, Brazil
| | - Érika Martins Braga
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Robert Poulin
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Rodrigues RA, Felix GMF, Pichorim M, Moreira PA, Braga EM. Host migration and environmental temperature influence avian haemosporidians prevalence: a molecular survey in a Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11555. [PMID: 34221715 PMCID: PMC8231341 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian haemosporidians are parasites with great capacity to spread to new environments and new hosts, being considered a good model to host-parasite interactions studies. Here, we examine avian haemosporidian parasites in a protected area covered by Restinga vegetation in northeastern Brazil, to test the hypothesis that haemosporidian prevalence is related to individual-level traits (age and breeding season), species-specific traits (diet, foraging strata, period of activity, species body weight, migratory status, and nest shape), and climate factors (temperature and rainfall). We screened DNA from 1,466 birds of 70 species captured monthly from April 2013 to March 2015. We detected an overall prevalence (Plasmodium/Haemoproteus infection) of 22% (44 host species) and parasite’s lineages were identified by mitochondrial cyt b gene. Our results showed that migration can be an important factor predicting the prevalence of Haemoproteus (Parahaemoproteus), but not Plasmodium, in hosts. Besides, the temperature, but not rainfall, seems to predict the prevalence of Plasmodium in this bird community. Neither individual-level traits analyzed nor the other species-specific traits tested were related to the probability of a bird becoming infected by haemosporidians. Our results point the importance of conducting local studies in particular environments to understand the degree of generality of factors impacting parasite prevalence in bird communities. Despite our attempts to find patterns of infection in this bird community, we should be aware that an avian haemosporidian community organization is highly complex and this complexity can be attributed to an intricate net of factors, some of which were not observed in this study and should be evaluated in future studies. We evidence the importance of looking to host-parasite relationships in a more close scale, to assure that some effects may not be obfuscated by differences in host life-history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel A Rodrigues
- Parasitology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Mauro Pichorim
- Botany and Zoology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande no Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Patricia A Moreira
- Biodiversity, Evolution and Environment, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Erika M Braga
- Parasitology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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11
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de Angeli Dutra D, Fecchio A, Martins Braga É, Poulin R. Migratory birds have higher prevalence and richness of avian haemosporidian parasites than residents. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:877-882. [PMID: 33848498 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Individuals of migratory species may be more likely to become infected by parasites because they cross different regions along their route, thereby being exposed to a wider range of parasites during their annual cycle. Conversely, migration may have a protective effect since migratory behaviour allows hosts to escape environments presenting a high risk of infection. Haemosporidians are one of the best studied, most prevalent and diverse groups of avian parasites, however the impact of avian host migration on infection by these parasites remains controversial. We tested whether migratory behaviour influenced the prevalence and richness of avian haemosporidian parasites among South American birds. We used a dataset comprising ~ 11,000 bird blood samples representing 260 bird species from 63 localities and Bayesian multi-level models to test the impact of migratory behaviour on prevalence and lineage richness of two avian haemosporidian genera (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus). We found that fully migratory species present higher parasite prevalence and higher richness of haemosporidian lineages. However, we found no difference between migratory and non-migratory species when evaluating prevalence separately for Plasmodium and Haemoproteus, or for the richness of Plasmodium lineages. Nevertheless, our results indicate that migratory behaviour is associated with an infection cost, namely a higher prevalence and greater variety of haemosporidian parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alan Fecchio
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT 78060-900, Brazil
| | - Érika Martins Braga
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Robert Poulin
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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12
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Abad CS, Tellkamp MP, Amaro IR, Spencer LM. Incidence of avian malaria in hummingbirds in humid premontane forests of Pichincha Province, Ecuador: A pilot study. Vet World 2021; 14:889-896. [PMID: 34083937 PMCID: PMC8167542 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2021.889-896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim: Avian malaria is a tropical disease caused by protozoans of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus. As a nonlethal disease, avian malaria can affect the lifespan and reproductive rate of birds. If there is a differential effect depending on bird species, then this disease might have a significant effect on avian biodiversity. The current study aimed to determine the incidence of Plasmodium in hummingbirds in humid premontane forest areas. Materials and Methods: Blood samples (n=60) were collected from hummingbirds from two areas (Santuario de Aves Milpe and Hacienda Puyucunapi) of Pichincha Province, Ecuador. Prevalence and parasitemia were determined by microscopic examination of blood smears stained with Giemsa reagent. Both study sites are part of a 1000 m elevational gradient; hence, elevation was used as a predictor variable for prevalence and parasitemia levels in a Mann–Whitney U-test. This test was also used to test for a sex bias. Results: This study reports on a total of 12 bird species that inhabit both study sites. At Milpe, the lower elevation site, a prevalence of 100% was recorded, whereas at Puyucunapi, the prevalence was 96%. The combined prevalence was 97%. Elevation and sex did not influence prevalence nor parasitemia in hummingbirds. Conclusion: This study does not suggest a significant elevation or sex bias on prevalence and parasitemia in hummingbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia S Abad
- Department of Biology, School of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Yachay Tech University, Urcuquí, Ecuador
| | - Markus P Tellkamp
- Department of Biology, School of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Yachay Tech University, Urcuquí, Ecuador
| | - Isidro R Amaro
- Department of Mathematics, School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Yachay Tech University, Urcuquí, Ecuador
| | - Lilian M Spencer
- Department of Biology, School of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Yachay Tech University, Urcuquí, Ecuador.,Department of Cell Biology, Simón Bolívar University, AP 89000 Caracas, Venezuela
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13
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Sacchi ABV, André MR, Calchi AC, de Santi M, Guimarães A, Pires JR, Baldani CD, Werther K, Machado RZ. Molecular and serological detection of arthropod-borne pathogens in carnivorous birds from Brazil. VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY- REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS 2021; 23:100539. [PMID: 33678392 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2021.100539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Rickettsiales, Haemosporida and Rhizobiales agents can cause diseases that affect various animal species, including humans. Due to predation behaviour, carnivorous birds may play an important role in spreading these etiological agentes across geographically distant areas, specially if they are migratory. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and to access the phylogenetic relations among Anaplasmataceae (Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Neorickettsia), Bartonellaceae (Bartonella spp.), and Haemosporida (Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) agents in blood samples from 121 carnivorous birds sampled in the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Inclusions resembling hemoparasites were not observed in Giemsa-stained preparations. While three animals were seropositive for E. chaffeensis (3.41% [3/88]; 95% CI:1.17-9.55%), five showed antibodies to A. phagocytophilum (5.68% [5/88]; 95% CI: 2.45-12.62%). Despite the detection of rrs gene fragments closely related to E. chaffeensis (4.13% [5/121]; 95% CI: 1.78-9.31%), no positivity was observed in the qPCR based on the genes vlpt for the organism. Similarly, 12 (9.91% [12/121]; 95% CI: 5.76-16.74%) samples were positive in the qPCR for Anaplasma spp. based on groEL gene, but negative in the qPCR for A. phagocytophilum based on msp-2 gene. Three samples were positive in the nPCR for E. canis based on rrs gene. Three samples were positive for Haemoproteus spp. and one for Plasmodium spp. in the nPCR based on cytB gene. Four birds (3.3% [4/121]; 95% CI: 1.29-8.19%) presented co-positivity by Ehrlichia sp. and Anaplasma sp. in molecular assays. One (0.82% [1/121]; 95% CI:0.15-4.53%) bird showed to be seropositive for E. chaffeensis and and positive in PCR for Haemoproteus sp. All birds were negative in the qPCR assay for Bartonella spp. (nuoG). The present work showed the occurrence of Anaplasmataceae agents and hemosporidians in carnivorous birds from southeastern Brazil. The role of these animals in the dispersion of Anaplasmataceae agents should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Beatriz Vieira Sacchi
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reproducao e Saude Unica, Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reproducao e Saude Unica, Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Cláudia Calchi
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reproducao e Saude Unica, Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mariele de Santi
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reproducao e Saude Unica, Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andresa Guimarães
- Laboratório de Patologia Clínica - Diagnóstico Animal, Departamento de Medicina e Cirurgia Veterinária, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jeferson Rocha Pires
- Centro de Recuperação de Animais Silvestres (CRAS), Universidade Estácio de Sá - UNESA, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Divan Baldani
- Laboratório de Patologia Clínica - Diagnóstico Animal, Departamento de Medicina e Cirurgia Veterinária, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Karin Werther
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reproducao e Saude Unica, Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reproducao e Saude Unica, Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil.
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14
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Prevalence and genetic diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites in wild bird species of the order Columbiformes. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:1405-1420. [PMID: 33521839 PMCID: PMC7940316 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07053-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Diseases can play a role in species decline. Among them, haemosporidian parasites, vector-transmitted protozoan parasites, are known to constitute a risk for different avian species. However, the magnitude of haemosporidian infection in wild columbiform birds, including strongly decreasing European turtle doves, is largely unknown. We examined the prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon and subgenera Haemoproteus and Parahaemoproteus in six species of the order Columbiformes during breeding season and migration by applying nested PCR, one-step multiplex PCR assay and microscopy. We detected infections in 109 of the 259 screened individuals (42%), including 15 distinct haemosporidian mitochondrial cytochrome b lineages, representing five H. (Haemoproteus), two H. (Parahaemoproteus), five Leucocytozoon and three Plasmodium lineages. Five of these lineages have never been described before. We discriminated between single and mixed infections and determined host species-specific prevalence for each parasite genus. Observed differences among sampled host species are discussed with reference to behavioural characteristics, including nesting and migration strategy. Our results support previous suggestions that migratory birds have a higher prevalence and diversity of blood parasites than resident or short-distance migratory species. A phylogenetic reconstruction provided evidence for H. (Haemoproteus) as well as H. (Parahaemoproteus) infections in columbiform birds. Based on microscopic examination, we quantified parasitemia, indicating the probability of negative effects on the host. This study provides a large-scale baseline description of haemosporidian infections of wild birds belonging to the order Columbiformes sampled in the northern hemisphere. The results enable the monitoring of future changes in parasite transmission areas, distribution and diversity associated with global change, posing a potential risk for declining avian species as the European turtle dove.
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15
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Fecchio A, de Faria IP, Bell JA, Nunes R, Weckstein JD, Lima MR. Mining increases the prevalence of avian haemosporidian parasites in Northeast Amazonia. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:605-613. [PMID: 33415388 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06986-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Studies contrasting parasite prevalence and host-parasite community structure between pristine and disturbed environments will improve our understanding of how deforestation affects disease transmission and parasite extinction. To determine how infection rates of a common and diverse group of avian blood parasites (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) respond to changes in avian host composition after mining, we surveyed 25 bird communities from pristine forests (two forest types: plateau and hillside) and reforested sites in Northeast Amazonia. Infection rates and both parasite and avian host community structure exhibited considerable variation across the deforestation gradient. In opposition to the emerging pattern of lower avian haemosporidian prevalence in disturbed tropical forests in Africa, we show that secondary forests had higher haemosporidian prevalence in one of the largest mining areas of Amazonia. The dissimilarity displayed by bird communities may explain, in part, the higher prevalence of Haemoproteus in reforested areas owing to the tolerance of some bird species to open-canopy forest habitat. On the other hand, deforestation may cause local extinction of Plasmodium parasites due to the loss of their avian hosts that depend on closed-canopy primary forest habitats. Our results demonstrate that forest loss induced by anthropogenic changes can affect a host-parasite system and disturb both parasite transmission and diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Fecchio
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Avenida Fernando Corrêa da Costa 2367, Cuiabá, MT, 78060-900, Brazil.
- Department of Ornithology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, USA.
| | - Iubatã P de Faria
- Grupo de Pesquisa sobre Populações de Aves Frugívoras, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul, Três Lagoas, Brazil
| | - Jeffrey A Bell
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, 58202, USA
| | - Renata Nunes
- Veredas Instituto Ambiental e Consultoria, Núcleo Bandeirante, DF, Brazil
| | - Jason D Weckstein
- Department of Ornithology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, USA
- Department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, USA
| | - Marcos R Lima
- Department of Animal and Plant Biology, State University of Londrina, CP 10.011, Londrina, PR, 86051-970, Brazil
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16
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Fecchio A, Ribeiro RM, Ferreira FC, de Angeli Dutra D, Tolesano-Pascoli G, Alquezar RD, Khan AU, Pichorim M, Moreira PA, Costa-Nascimento MJ, Monteiro EF, Mathias BS, Guimarães LO, Simões RF, Braga ÉM, Kirchgatter K, Dias RI. Higher infection probability of haemosporidian parasites in Blue-black Grassquits (Volatinia jacarina) inhabiting native vegetation across Brazil. Parasitol Int 2020; 80:102204. [PMID: 33045411 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2020.102204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Human induced changes on landscape can alter the biotic and abiotic factors that influence the transmission of vector-borne parasites. To examine how infection rates of vector-transmitted parasites respond to changes on natural landscapes, we captured 330 Blue-black Grassquits (Volatinia jacarina) in Brazilian biomes and assessed the prevalence and diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) across avian host populations inhabiting environment under different disturbance and climatic conditions. Overall prevalence in Blue-black Grassquits was low (11%) and infection rates exhibited considerable spatial variation, ranging from zero to 39%. Based on genetic divergence of cytochrome b gene, we found two lineages of Haemoproteus (Parahaemoproteus) and 10 of Plasmodium. We showed that Blue-black Grassquit populations inhabiting sites with higher proportion of native vegetation cover were more infected across Brazil. Other landscape metrics (number of water bodies and distance to urban areas) and climatic condition (temperature and precipitation) known to influence vector activity and promote avian malaria transmission did not explain infection probability in Blue-black Grassquit populations. Moreover, breeding season did not explain prevalence across avian host populations. Our findings suggest that avian haemosporidian prevalence and diversity in Blue-black Grassquit populations are determined by recent anthropogenic changes in vegetation cover that may alter microclimate, thus influencing vector activity and parasite transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Fecchio
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
| | - Rayanne M Ribeiro
- Faculdade de Ciências da Educação e Saúde, Centro Universitário de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Francisco C Ferreira
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC, USA; Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Daniela de Angeli Dutra
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Graziela Tolesano-Pascoli
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, DF, Brazil
| | - Renata D Alquezar
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília 70919-970, DF, Brazil
| | - Asmat U Khan
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; Department of Zoology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal, Dir (Upper) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Mauro Pichorim
- Departamento de Botânica e Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Patrícia A Moreira
- Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Eliana F Monteiro
- Superintendência de Controle de Endemias/IMT-USP, São Paulo, SP 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Bruno S Mathias
- Superintendência de Controle de Endemias/IMT-USP, São Paulo, SP 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Lilian O Guimarães
- Superintendência de Controle de Endemias/IMT-USP, São Paulo, SP 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Roseli F Simões
- Superintendência de Controle de Endemias/IMT-USP, São Paulo, SP 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Érika M Braga
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Karin Kirchgatter
- Superintendência de Controle de Endemias/IMT-USP, São Paulo, SP 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Raphael I Dias
- Faculdade de Ciências da Educação e Saúde, Centro Universitário de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
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17
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Lopes VL, Costa FV, Rodrigues RA, Braga ÉM, Pichorim M, Moreira PA. High fidelity defines the temporal consistency of host-parasite interactions in a tropical coastal ecosystem. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16839. [PMID: 33033317 PMCID: PMC7545182 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73563-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Host-parasite interactions represent a selective force that may reduce hosts’ lifespan, their reproductive success and survival. Environmental conditions can affect host-parasite communities, leading to distinct patterns of interactions with divergent ecological and evolutionary consequences for their persistence. Here, we tested whether climatic oscillation shapes the temporal dynamics of bird-haemosporidian associations, assessing the main mechanisms involved in the temporal dissimilarity of their interactions’ networks. For two years, we monthly sampled birds in a tropical coastal ecosystem to avian malaria molecular diagnosis. The studied networks exhibited high specialization, medium modularity, with low niche overlap among parasites lineages. Moreover, alpha and β-diversity of hosts, parasites and their interactions, as well as the structure of their networks were temporally consistent, i.e., stable under fluctuations in temperature or precipitation over seasons. The structure and temporal consistency of the studied antagonistic networks suggest a high fidelity between partners, which is likely relevant for their evolutionary persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- V L Lopes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil
| | - F V Costa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - R A Rodrigues
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - É M Braga
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - M Pichorim
- Laboratório de Ornitologia, Departamento de Botânica e Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte - UFRN, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - P A Moreira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil. .,Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil.
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18
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De La Torre GM, Freitas FF, Fratoni RDO, Guaraldo ADC, Dutra DDA, Braga M, Manica LT. Hemoparasites and their relation to body condition and plumage coloration of the White-necked thrush (Turdus albicollis). ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2020.1769739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Massaccesi De La Torre
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81530 900, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Ornitologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81530 900, Brazil
| | - Fernando Ferneda Freitas
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Ornitologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81530 900, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81530 900, Brazil
| | - Rafael De Oliveira Fratoni
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81530 900, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Ornitologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81530 900, Brazil
| | - André De Camargo Guaraldo
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81530 900, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Ornitologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81530 900, Brazil
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora 36036-900, Brazil
| | - Daniela De Angeli Dutra
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270 901, Brazil
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270 901, Brazil
| | - M. Braga
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270 901, Brazil
| | - Lilian Tonelli Manica
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Ornitologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 81530 900, Brazil
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Epidemiology, hematology, and unusual morphological characteristics of Plasmodium during an avian malaria outbreak in penguins in Brazil. Parasitol Res 2019; 118:3497-3508. [PMID: 31720833 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06459-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Avian malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by Plasmodium spp. protozoa, and penguins are considered particularly susceptible to this disease, developing rapid outbreaks with potentially high mortality. We report on an outbreak of avian malaria in Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) at a rehabilitation center in Espírito Santo, southeast Brazil. In August and September 2015, a total of 89 Magellanic penguins (87 juveniles and 2 adults) received care at Institute of Research and Rehabilitation of Marine Animals. Over a period of 2 weeks, Plasmodium infections were identified in eight individuals (9.0%), four of which died (mortality = 4.5%, lethality = 50%). Blood smears and sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene revealed the presence of Plasmodium lutzi SPMAG06, Plasmodium elongatum GRW06, Plasmodium sp. PHPAT01, Plasmodium sp. SPMAG10, and Plasmodium cathemerium (sequencing not successful). Two unusual morphological features were observed in individuals infected with lineage SPMAG06: (a) lack of clumping of pigment granules and (b) presence of circulating exoerythrocytic meronts. Hematological results (packed cell volume, plasma total solids, complete blood cell counts) of positive individuals showed differences from those of negative individuals depending on the lineages, but there was no overarching pattern consistently observed for all Plasmodium spp. The epidemiology of the outbreak and the phylogeography of the parasite lineages detected in this study support the notion that malarial infections in penguins undergoing rehabilitation in Brazil are the result of the spillover inoculation by plasmodia that circulate in the local avifauna, especially Passeriformes.
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Armstrong C, Davies RG, González‐Quevedo C, Dunne M, Spurgin LG, Richardson DS. Adaptive landscape genetics and malaria across divergent island bird populations. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:12482-12502. [PMID: 31788192 PMCID: PMC6875583 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental conditions play a major role in shaping the spatial distributions of pathogens, which in turn can drive local adaptation and divergence in host genetic diversity. Haemosporidians, such as Plasmodium (malaria), are a strong selective force, impacting survival and fitness of hosts, with geographic distributions largely determined by habitat suitability for their insect vectors. Here, we have tested whether patterns of fine-scale local adaptation to malaria are replicated across discrete, ecologically differing island populations of Berthelot's pipits Anthus berthelotii. We sequenced TLR4, an innate immunity gene that is potentially under positive selection in Berthelot's pipits, and two SNPs previously identified as being associated with malaria infection in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in Berthelot's pipits in the Canary Islands. We determined the environmental predictors of malaria infection, using these to estimate variation in malaria risk on Porto Santo, and found some congruence with previously identified environmental risk factors on Tenerife. We also found a negative association between malaria infection and a TLR4 variant in Tenerife. In contrast, one of the GWAS SNPs showed an association with malaria risk in Porto Santo, but in the opposite direction to that found in the Canary Islands GWAS. Together, these findings suggest that disease-driven local adaptation may be an important factor in shaping variation among island populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Catalina González‐Quevedo
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
- Grupo Ecología y Evolución de VertebradosInstituto de BiologíaFacultad de Ciencias Exactas y NaturalesUniversidad de AntioquiaMedellínColombia
| | - Molly Dunne
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
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Santiago-Alarcon D, MacGregor-Fors I, Falfán I, Lüdtke B, Segelbacher G, Schaefer HM, Renner S. Parasites in space and time: a case study of haemosporidian spatiotemporal prevalence in urban birds. Int J Parasitol 2019; 49:235-246. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Pacheco MA, García-Amado MA, Manzano J, Matta NE, Escalante AA. Blood parasites infecting the Hoatzin ( Opisthocomus hoazin), a unique neotropical folivorous bird. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6361. [PMID: 30740273 PMCID: PMC6368046 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) is the only extant member of the order Opisthocomiformes. This unique South American bird lives in the riparian lowland vegetation characteristic of the Amazon and Orinoco basins. Hoatzins nest in communal social units close to water bodies; they are strictly folivores being the only bird with pregastric fermentation in the crop. Because of the complex logistics involved in capturing this bird, there is a knowledge gap on its parasites. This study documents two distant lineages of haemosporidian parasites (Plasmodium spp.) in a juvenile and two adults sampled in the Cojedes state, Venezuela. Although negative by microscopy, the parasite identification was possible by using molecular methods. We estimated the phylogenetic relationships on the parasite cytochrome b (cytb, 480 bp) gene and the mitochondrial DNA. We found one of the parasites lineages in two individuals (nestling and adult), and the corresponding fragment of cytb was identical to a one found in Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) from Brazil. The other lineage, found in an adult, has an identity of 469 out of 478 bp (98%) with Plasmodium sp. GAL-2012 (isolate THAMB08) from Brazil. Although a morphological description of these parasites was not possible, this is the first molecular study focusing on Hoatzin haemosporidian parasites and the first documentation of Plasmodium infections in the Hoatzin from Venezuela. Furthermore, we reported microfilaria in two adults as well as hematological parameters for six individuals. Information on hematological parameters could contribute to establishing the necessary baseline to detect underlying conditions, such as infections, in this bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Andreína Pacheco
- Department of Biology/Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - M Alexandra García-Amado
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Gastrointestinal, Centro de Biofísica y Bioquímica, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Caracas, Miranda, Venezuela
| | - Jaime Manzano
- Departamento de Biología, Grupo de Investigación Caracterización genética e Inmunología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá-Facultad de Ciencias, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Nubia E Matta
- Departamento de Biología, Grupo de Investigación Caracterización genética e Inmunología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá-Facultad de Ciencias, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Ananias A Escalante
- Department of Biology/Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
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Rivero de Aguilar J, Castillo F, Moreno A, Peñafiel N, Browne L, Walter ST, Karubian J, Bonaccorso E. Patterns of avian haemosporidian infections vary with time, but not habitat, in a fragmented Neotropical landscape. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206493. [PMID: 30379912 PMCID: PMC6209335 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss has the potential to alter vertebrate host populations and their interactions with parasites. Theory predicts a decrease in parasite diversity due to the loss of hosts in such contexts. However, habitat loss could also increase parasite infections as a result of the arrival of new parasites or by decreasing host immune defenses. We investigated the effect of habitat loss and other habitat characteristics on avian haemosporidian infections in a community of birds within a fragmented landscape in northwest Ecuador. We estimated Plasmodium and Haemoproteus parasite infections in 504 individual birds belonging to 8 families and 18 species. We found differences in infection status among bird species, but no relationship between forest fragment characteristics and infection status was observed. We also found a temporal effect, with birds at the end of the five-month study (which ran from the end of the rainy season thru the dry season), being less infected by Plasmodium parasites than individuals sampled at the beginning. Moreover, we found a positive relationship between forest area and Culicoides abundance. Taken as a whole, these findings indicate little effect of fragment characteristics per se on infection, although additional sampling or higher infection rates would have offered more power to detect potential relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Rivero de Aguilar
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
- * E-mail:
| | - Fernando Castillo
- Fundación para la Conservación de los Andes Tropicales, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
| | - Andrea Moreno
- Fundación para la Conservación de los Andes Tropicales, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
| | - Nicolás Peñafiel
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
| | - Luke Browne
- Fundación para la Conservación de los Andes Tropicales, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Scott T. Walter
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jordan Karubian
- Fundación para la Conservación de los Andes Tropicales, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Elisa Bonaccorso
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
- Instituto BIOSFERA y Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador
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Lugarini C, Albuquerque MCFD, Vanstreels RET, Roos AL, Silva JCR, Oliveira JBD. ENDOPARASITES IN BIRDS OF GUARIBAS BIOLOGICAL RESERVE, ATLANTIC FOREST, PARAÍBA STATE, BRAZIL. CIÊNCIA ANIMAL BRASILEIRA 2018. [DOI: 10.1590/1809-6891v19e-30480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract This paper describes the findings on endoparasites in Atlantic forest birds at Guaribas Biological Reserve, Paraíba State, Northeast of Brazil. We captured 151 birds with mist nets in ten field expeditions between July 2010 and June 2011 and studied bird endoparasites through blood and excreta samples. Blood samples were collected from 131 birds and excreta were collected from 48 birds. In blood smears, only Haemoproteus columbae was detected in three Columbiformes (2.29%) of the species Columbina talpacoti. Fecal samples were collected from 48 birds, and eggs of nematodes and oocysts of coccidian were detected in 6.25% of the samples: Spirurida (Nematoda) in Lanio cristatus (Thraupidae); Strongyloides sp. (Nematoda) in Momotus momota (Momotidae) and Isospora sp. (Protozoa, Eimeriidae) in Neopelma pallescens (Pipridae). There is limited information about the parasites of wild birds in the remaining fragments of Atlantic forest in Northeast of Brazil; however, such knowledge can help understanding these host-parasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camile Lugarini
- Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Brazil; Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Brazil
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Fecchio A, Silveira P, Weckstein JD, Dispoto JH, Anciães M, Bosholn M, Tkach VV, Bell JA. First Record of Leucocytozoon (Haemosporida: Leucocytozoidae) in Amazonia: Evidence for Rarity in Neotropical Lowlands or Lack of Sampling for This Parasite Genus? J Parasitol 2018; 104:168-172. [PMID: 29346738 DOI: 10.1645/17-182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Birds harbor an astonishing diversity of haemosporidian parasites belonging to the genera Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Plasmodium. Currently there are more than 250 morphologically described avian haemosporidian species and 2,828 unique lineages found in virtually all avian clades and zoogeographic regions, except for Antarctica. Our report is based on PCR and microscopic screening of 1,302 individual avian samples from Brazil to detect the underrepresented genus Leucocytozoon. This survey primarily focuses on passerine birds collected from Amazonia, the Atlantic Rain Forest, and Pantanal. We also summarize studies conducted in Brazil that report haemosporidian prevalence using both microscopy and molecular tools and present for the first time a record of Leucocytozoon infecting an avian host population in Amazonia. Based on our findings, we suggest that high average temperatures may be constraining both the distribution and diversity of Leucocytozoon in lowland tropical South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Fecchio
- Laboratório de Evolução e Biogeografia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170115, Brazil
| | - P Silveira
- Laboratório de Evolução e Biogeografia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170115, Brazil
| | - J D Weckstein
- Laboratório de Evolução e Biogeografia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170115, Brazil
| | - J H Dispoto
- Laboratório de Evolução e Biogeografia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170115, Brazil
| | - M Anciães
- Laboratório de Evolução e Biogeografia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170115, Brazil
| | - M Bosholn
- Laboratório de Evolução e Biogeografia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170115, Brazil
| | - V V Tkach
- Laboratório de Evolução e Biogeografia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170115, Brazil
| | - J A Bell
- Laboratório de Evolução e Biogeografia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, 40170115, Brazil
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Coker SM, Hernandez SM, Kistler WM, Curry SE, Welch CN, Barron HW, Harsch S, Murray MH, Yabsley MJ. Diversity and prevalence of hemoparasites of wading birds in southern Florida, USA. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2017; 6:220-225. [PMID: 29379711 PMCID: PMC5779636 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2017.08.003] [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: 06/13/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Relatively few studies on hemoparasites have been conducted on wading birds in the families Ardeidae and Threskiornithidae (order Pelecaniformes), especially in the United States. In this study, we obtained baseline data on the prevalence and genetic diversity of haemosporidian parasites in wading birds opportunistically sampled from southern Florida, USA. We detected blood parasites in White Ibis (Eudocimus albus), Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), Green Heron (Butorides virescens), and Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) with several novel host-parasite relationships. Infected birds had low parasitemias (average 0.77%, range 0-4%) suggesting that infections were chronic. Despite the low sample sizes for several of our sampled species, these data highlight the diversity of parasites in this understudied group of birds and suggest that additional studies are needed to investigate the potential impacts of these parasites on their health, especially since southern Florida is becoming increasingly urbanized which can alter parasite transmission or host susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Coker
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sonia M. Hernandez
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Whitney M. Kistler
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Shannon E. Curry
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Catharine N. Welch
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Stefan Harsch
- South Florida Wildlife Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Maureen H. Murray
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Michael J. Yabsley
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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