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57 results for “haemosporidian parasites”
Fig. 1 in A new haemosporidian parasite from the Red-legged Seriema Cariama cristata (Cariamiformes, Cariamidae)
Fig. 1. Gametocytes of Haemoproteus pulcher sp. nov. from the blood of the Red-legged Seriema (Cariama cristata): A–D, young gametocytes; E–P, macrogametocytes, Q–X, microgametocytes. Legend: ahcn, atrophied host cell nucleus; cl, cleft between the parasite and the host cell nucleus; cv, cytoplasmic vacuoles; epg, elongated pigment granules; g, gap between the ends of the parasite; pn, parasite nucleus; mpg, medium-sized pigment granules; spg, small pigment granules. Eosin–methylene blue stained thin blood films. Scale-bar: 5 μm. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)
Fig. 3 in A new haemosporidian parasite from the Red-legged Seriema Cariama cristata (Cariamiformes, Cariamidae)
Fig. 3. Comparison of the sequence of outer primers (HaemNFI and HaemNR3) and inner primers (HaemF and HaemR2) from a frequently-used nested PCR protocol to detect avian Haemoproteus and Plasmodium based on the amplification of a 479 bp segment of the mitochondrial cytb gene (Hellgren et al., 2004) to the corresponding segments of the cyt-b gene of Haemoproteus pulcher obtained in this study (blue). Asterisks highlight mismatches between the sequences and the primers. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)
Fig. 2 in A new haemosporidian parasite from the Red-legged Seriema Cariama cristata (Cariamiformes, Cariamidae)
Fig. 2. Bayesian phylogenetic hypothesis of the relationship between Haemoproteus pulcher sp. nov. and other Haemosporida based on the mitochondrial cytb gene. Branch lengths are drawn proportionally to the extent of changes (scale-bar is shown). Values adjacent to nodes represent posterior probabilities.
Haemosporidian parasites and incubation period influence plumage coloration in tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae)
<p><span>Birds are visually oriented and use their plumage coloration as an important signaling trait in social communication. Males and females may have different patterns of plumage coloration, a phenomenon known as sexual dichromatism. Because males tend to have more complex plumages, sexual dichromatism is usually attributed to female choice. However, plumage coloration is partly condition-dependent, therefore other selective pressures affecting individuals' success may also drive the evolution of this trait. Here we used tanagers to study the relationships between dichromatism and plumage coloration complexity with parasitism by haemosporidians, investment in reproduction, and life-history traits. We screened blood samples from 2849 birds belonging to 52 tanager species for detecting haemosporidian parasites. We used publicly available data for plumage coloration, bird phylogeny, and life-history traits to run models with plumage dichromatism and complexity in males and females. We found that dichromatism was more pronounced in bird species with higher prevalence of haemosporidian parasites. Lastly, females with high plumage coloration complexity were associated with a longer incubation period. Our results indicate an association between haemosporidian parasites and plumage coloration suggesting that parasites impact mechanisms of both sexual selections, increasing differences between sexes, and social (non-sexual) selection, driving females to develop more complex colorations. </span></p>
Haemosporidian parasites and incubation period influence plumage coloration in tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae)
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Network specificity decreases community stability and competition among avian haemosporidian parasites and their hosts
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Data from: On the specificity of avian blood parasites: revealing specific and generalist relationships between haemosporidians and biting midges
The study of host-parasite relationships involving vector-borne parasites requires understanding interactions between parasites and vectors. The capacity of haemosporidians to infect insects has clear evolutionary consequences for the transmission of diseases. Here we investigated (1) the associations between blood parasites, biting midges and birds and (2) the potential specificity between biting midge and haemosporidian haplotypes. A total of 629 parous biting midges Culicoides and 224 wild birds (belonging to seven species) from a locality of central Spain were examined individually to detect the presence of Haemoproteus and Plasmodium parasites by sequencing a fragment of the cytochrome B gene. Biting midges were identified morphologically and characterised on the basis of a fragment of the cytocrome c oxidase (COI) gene. Overall 12 Haemoproteus and 3 Plasmodium haplotypes were isolated and sequenced. Among them, 10 haplotypes were exclusively isolated from biting midges, three haplotypes only from birds and two haplotypes from both biting midges and birds. Biting midge haplotypes showed both specific and generalist relationships with Haemoproteus haplotypes but only generalist relationships with Plasmodium haplotypes. Several C. festivipennis and C. kibunesis haplotypes established significant coevolutionary links with Haemoproteus haplotypes. These results help to understand the specificity of vector-blood parasite interactions.
Fig. 2 in Mosquito identification and haemosporidian parasites detection in the enclosure of the African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) at the SANBI zoological garden
Fig. 2. The single UV-light trap used to collect mosquito samples.
Revealing the drivers of parasite community assembly: using avian haemosporidians to model global dynamics of parasite species turnover
<p>Why do some regions share more or fewer species than others? Community assembly relies on the ability of individuals to disperse, colonize, and thrive in new regions. Therefore, many distinct factors, such as geographic distance and environmental features, can determine the odds of a species colonizing a new environment. For parasites, host community composition (i.e., resources) also plays a key role in their ability to colonize a new environment as they rely on their hosts to complete their life cycle. Thus, variation in host community composition and environmental conditions should determine parasite turnover among regions. Here, we explored the global drivers of parasite turnover using avian malaria and malaria-like (haemosporidian) parasites. We compiled global databases on avian haemosporidian lineages distributions, environmental conditions, avian species distributions and functional traits and ran generalized dissimilarity models to uncover the main drivers of parasite turnover. We demonstrated that haemosporidian parasite turnover is mainly driven by geographic distance followed by host functional traits, environmental conditions, and host distributions. The main host functional traits associated with high parasite turnover were the predominance of resident (i.e., non-migratory) species and strong territoriality while the most important climatic drivers of haemosporidian turnover were mean temperature and temperature seasonality. Overall, we establish the importance of geographic distance as a key predictor of ecological dissimilarity and show that host resources influence parasite turnover more strongly than environmental conditions. We also evidenced that parasite turnover is most pronounced among tropical and less interconnected regions (i.e., regions with mostly territorial and non-migratory hosts). Our findings provide a robust foundation for the prediction of avian pathogen spread and the emergence of infectious diseases.</p>
Data from: Sedentary songbirds maintain higher prevalence of haemosporidian parasite infections than migratory conspecifics during seasonal sympatry
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Data from: Genomic sequence capture of haemosporidian parasites: methods and prospects for enhanced study of host-parasite evolution
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Data from: On the specificity of avian blood parasites: revealing specific and generalist relationships between haemosporidians and biting midges
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Revealing the drivers of parasite community assembly: using avian haemosporidians to model global dynamics of parasite species turnover
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Artificial light at night amplifies seasonal relapse of haemosporidian parasites in a widespread songbird
<p>Urban habitats can shape interactions between hosts and parasites by altering within-host processes such as resistance. Artificial light at night is common in urban environments, and chronic exposure can impair host immunity in ways that may increase infection. However, studies of causal links between this stressor, immunity, and infection dynamics are rare, particularly in migratory animals. Here, we experimentally tested how artificial light at night affects cellular immunity and intensity of infection with haemosporidian parasites across the annual cycle of migrant and resident subspecies of the dark-eyed junco (<em>Junco hyemalis</em>). We exposed an experimental group to light at night and compared them to control birds under nighttime darkness. Both groups were monitored as they passed through short days simulating early spring to longer days simulating the breeding season, followed by fall migration. Using generalized additive models, we show that artificial light at night increased inflammation, and leukocyte counts were greatest in early spring and fall. At the beginning of the experiment, few birds had active infections based on microscopy, but nested PCR revealed that many birds had chronic infections. Artificial light at night increased parasitemia across the annual cycle, with pronounced peaks in spring and fall that were largely absent in control birds. Because all birds were kept in indoor aviaries to prevent vector exposure, these pulses in parasite intensity indicate relapse of chronic infection during costly life history stages (i.e., reproduction, migration). Although the immunological and parasitological time series were in phase for control birds, cross-correlation analyses revealed that artificial light at night desynchronized leukocyte profiles and haemosporidian intensity, which could suggest immune dysregulation. Our study shows how a common anthropogenic influence can shape within-host processes to affect infection dynamics.</p>
Data from: Survey of haemosporidian parasites in resident and migrant game birds of Illinois
Haemosporidian parasites are globally distributed in avian species, capable of leading to decreased reproductive success, weakness and mortality. Haemosporidian parasites that affect reproduction and population growth are of interest to bird conservation groups and to organizations concerned with the health and immunological status of avian populations. Haemosporidian infection data are not always available for some avian species in specific regions yet. These data provides the starting points to evaluate geographical and temporal changes in the patterns of infection and prevalence across populations. We examined haemoparasite infections in four game bird species commonly hunted in Illinois. Prevalence, mean intensity, median intensity and mean abundance of haemosporidians were calculated, and the relation of these infection measures associated with age and sex of the avian hosts were evaluated. Game species sampled (n = 237) included migrants such as mourning doves (Zenaida macroura), wood ducks (Aix sponsa) and Canada geese (Branta canadensis), as well as resident birds such as wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). Only Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon species were identified. Haemoproteus was the most prevalent haemosporidian (46/237), followed by Plasmodium (11/237). Furthermore, Haemoproteus was the most persistent haemosporidian, as it was the only parasite genera found in all four avian species. Co-infections were found in 55% of turkeys, but no significant correlations between the genera of haemosporidinan co-infections and a host species were found. Moreover, no significant differences in the proportion of infected individuals (prevalence) and haemosporidian quantities (levels of intensity and abundance) were related to biotic factors such as age and sex of the host. However, parasite aggregation (distribution of parasites among hosts) was affected by age, as adult turkeys and juvenile doves showed the highest aggregation index (Poulin's index of discrepancy D) for Haemoproteus spp. This study reveals patterns of infection and parasite aggregations that vary widely among different game bird species and provides baseline data on avian haemosporidians that, to the best of our knowledge, is not currently available in the state of Illinois for these avian species. Finally, these patterns can be used for management of landscape or host species to support conservation efforts.
Data from: Generalist haemosporidian parasites are better adapted to a subset of host species in a multiple host community
Parasites that can infect multiple host species are considered to be host generalists with low host specificity. However, whether generalist parasites are better adapted to a subset of their host species remains unknown. To elucidate this possibility, we compared the variation in prevalence and infection intensity among host species of three generalist parasite lineages belonging to the morphological species Haemoproteus majoris, in a natural bird community in southern Sweden. Prevalence in each host species was confirmed by nested PCR and DNA sequencing and infection intensities were quantified using lineage-specific real-time qPCR. For two of the three lineages, we detected positive correlations between prevalence and infection intensity, indicating that these generalist parasites are better adapted to a subset of host species, which may have been more frequently encountered during the evolution of the parasite; we refer to these as main host species. For both lineages, the main host species were more phylogenetically related than expected by chance as revealed by strong phylogenetic signal in prevalence among hosts. By comparing our results with previous records of these parasites, we found that the host range of a generalist parasite can vary among different communities and may partly be shaped by the presence of other parasites. Our study reveals that generalist parasites may be specialized on a subset of their host species and it highlights the importance of considering infection intensity and host phylogeny when determining the host specificity of a parasite.
Data from: How a haemosporidian parasite of bats gets around: the genetic structure of a parasite, vector and host compared
Parasite population structure is often thought to be largely shaped by that of its host. In the case of a parasite with a complex life cycle, two host species, each with their own patterns of demography and migration, spread the parasite. However, the population structure of the parasite is predicted to resemble only that of the most vagile host species. In this study we tested this prediction in the context of a vector-transmitted parasite. We sampled the haemosporidian parasite Polychromophilus melanipherus across its European range, together with its bat fly vector Nycteribia schmidlii and its host, the bent-winged bat Miniopterus schreibersii. Based on microsatellite analyses, the wingless vector, and not the bat host, was identified as the least structured population and should therefore be considered the most vagile host. Genetic distance matrices were compared for all three species based on a mitochondrial DNA fragment. Both host and vector populations followed an isolation-by-distance pattern across the Mediterranean, but not the parasite. Mantel tests found no correlation between the parasite and either the host or vector populations. We therefore found no support for our hypothesis; the parasite population structure matched neither vector nor host. Instead, we propose a model where the parasite's gene flow is represented by the added effects of host and vector dispersal patterns.
Data from: Prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites in the yellow-rumped warbler hybrid zone
Parasites can play a role in speciation, by exerting different selection pressures on different host lineages, leading to reproductive barriers in regions of possible interbreeding. Hybrid zones therefore offer an ideal system to study the effect of parasites on speciation. Here we study a hybrid zone in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where two yellow-rumped warbler subspecies, Setophaga coronata coronata and S. c. auduboni, interbreed. There is partial reproductive isolation between them, but no evidence of strong assortative mating within the hybrid zone, suggesting the existence of a postzygotic selection against hybrids. Here, we test whether haemosporidian parasites might play a role in selecting against hybrids between S. c. coronata and S. c. auduboni. We screened birds from 5 transects across the hybrid zone for three phylogenetic groupings of avian haemosporidians Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon parasites and quantified intensity of infection. Contrary to our prediction, hybrids did not have higher haemosporidian parasite prevalence. Variation in Haemoproteus prevalence was best explained by an interaction between a birds' hybrid index and elevation, while the probability of infection with Leucocytozoon parasites was only influenced by elevation. We also found no significant difference in the diversity of haemosporidian lineages between the warbler subspecies and their hybrids. Finally, intensity of infection by Haemoproteus increased significantly with elevation, but was not significantly linked to birds' hybrid index. In conclusion, our data suggest that haemosporidian parasites do not seem to play a major role in selecting against hybrids in this system.
The probability of being infected with haemosporidian parasites increases with host age
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>In vertebrates, disease susceptibility often varies with age. Older individuals may be more susceptible than younger individuals due to senescent declines in immune function. Alternatively, disease susceptibility may decrease with age if older individuals are more likely to have had prior exposures to parasites and acquired adaptive immune responses that allowed them to resist future infections. Disease susceptibility can also vary with reproductive state, and reproductive hormones have been shown to increase infection susceptibility. Here we investigated how age and experimentally elevated levels of the reproductive hormone testosterone affected haemosporidian infections in free-living adult male dark-eyed juncos (<i>Junco hyemalis</i>). Samples were collected before and at least one year after experimental treatment with either a testosterone implant or empty control implant. The probability of being infected with haemosporidians in the <i>Plasmodium/Haemoproteus </i>group increased with host age but was unaffected by experimental testosterone elevation. Our longitudinal sampling design allowed us to determine that the increase in infections with host age was driven by variation within individuals, such that an individual's probability of being infected increased with age. This suggests that haemosporidian susceptibility increases with host age, and/or that haemosporidian-infected juncos sustain long-term chronic infections that are rarely completely cleared, and that the probability of being infected is higher in older juncos because they have experienced higher cumulative exposure risk.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
Data from: How a haemosporidian parasite of bats gets around: the genetic structure of a parasite, vector and host compared
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