scholarly journals Anthelmintic treatment alters the parasite community in a wild mouse host

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 20130205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy B. Pedersen ◽  
Janis Antonovics
Keyword(s):  
Wild Mouse ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Gastrointestinal Parasites ◽  
Nematode Infection ◽  
Mouse Population ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Single Host ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Parasite Dynamics

Individuals are often co-infected with several parasite species, yet the consequences of drug treatment on the dynamics of parasite communities in wild populations have rarely been measured. Here, we experimentally reduced nematode infection in a wild mouse population and measured the effects on other non-target parasites. A single oral dose of the anthelmintic, ivermectin, significantly reduced nematode infection, but resulted in a reciprocal increase in other gastrointestinal parasites, specifically coccidial protozoans and cestodes. These results highlight the possibility that drug therapy may have unintended consequences for non-target parasites and that host–parasite dynamics cannot always be fully understood in the framework of single host–parasite interactions.

Consistent differences in macroparasite community composition among populations of three-spined sticklebacks,Gasterosteus aculeatusL.

Parasitology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 139 (11) ◽  
pp. 1478-1491 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOB DE ROIJ ◽  
ANDREW D. C. MacCOLL
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variation ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Geographical Distances ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Relative Differences

SUMMARYParasite ecologists are often interested in the repeatability of patterns in parasite communities in space and/or time, because of implications for the dynamics of host-parasite interactions. Field studies usually examine temporal and spatial variation in isolation or limit themselves to a small number of host populations. Here, we studied the macroparasite communities of 12 populations of three-spined stickleback,Gasterosteus aculeatusL., on North Uist, Scotland, separated by small geographical distances, during the breeding season in 2 consecutive years (2007 and 2008) to determine: (1) the extent of spatial variation in macroparasite communities, (2) whether this variation is consistent across years, and (3) whether habitat characteristics can explain differences in macroparasite community composition among populations. We found substantial variation in parasite communities among populations. Generally, measures of parasite community composition were higher in 2008 than in 2007, but this effect of year was consistent across populations, such that the relative differences in these measures among populations changed little between years. These data suggest that there is short-term stability in the spatial variation in macroparasite communities of North Uist sticklebacks. However, none of the 5 habitat characteristics measured explained spatial variation in any measure of parasite community composition.

Diversity and patterns of interaction of an anuran–parasite network in a neotropical wetland

Parasitology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 142 (14) ◽  
pp. 1751-1757 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. CAMPIÃO ◽  
A. RIBAS ◽  
L. E. R. TAVARES
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Taxonomic Diversity ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Mixed Effect ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Mixed Effect Models ◽  
Host Phylogeny ◽  
Host Parasite

SUMMARYWe describe the diversity and structure of a host–parasite network of 11 anuran species and their helminth parasites in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil. Specifically, we investigate how the heterogeneous use of space by hosts changes parasite community diversity, and how the local pool of parasites exploits sympatric host species of different habits. We examined 229 anuran specimens, interacting with 32 helminth parasite taxa. Mixed effect models indicated the influence of anuran body size, but not habit, as a determinant of parasite species richness. Variation in parasite taxonomic diversity, however, was not significantly correlated with host size or habit. Parasite community composition was not correlated with host phylogeny, indicating no strong effect of the evolutionary relationships among anurans on the similarities in their parasite communities. Host–parasite network showed a nested and non-modular pattern of interaction, which is probably a result of the low host specificity observed for most helminths in this study. Overall, we found host body size was important in determining parasite community richness, whereas low parasite specificity was important to network structure.

Discrimination of fish populations using parasites: Random Forests on a ‘predictable’ host-parasite system

Parasitology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 137 (12) ◽  
pp. 1833-1847 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. PÉREZ-DEL-OLMO ◽  
F. E. MONTERO ◽  
M. FERNÁNDEZ ◽  
J. BARRETT ◽  
J. A. RAGA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Random Forests ◽  
Predictive Models ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Fish Host ◽  
Mediterranean Population ◽  
Classification Problems ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Data Mining Approach ◽  
Community Data ◽  
Host Parasite

SUMMARYWe address the effect of spatial scale and temporal variation on model generality when forming predictive models for fish assignment using a new data mining approach, Random Forests (RF), to variable biological markers (parasite community data). Models were implemented for a fish host-parasite system sampled along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of Spain and were validated using independent datasets. We considered 2 basic classification problems in evaluating the importance of variations in parasite infracommunities for assignment of individual fish to their populations of origin: multiclass (2–5 population models, using 2 seasonal replicates from each of the populations) and 2-class task (using 4 seasonal replicates from 1 Atlantic and 1 Mediterranean population each). The main results are that (i) RF are well suited for multiclass population assignment using parasite communities in non-migratory fish; (ii) RF provide an efficient means for model cross-validation on the baseline data and this allows sample size limitations in parasite tag studies to be tackled effectively; (iii) the performance of RF is dependent on the complexity and spatial extent/configuration of the problem; and (iv) the development of predictive models is strongly influenced by seasonal change and this stresses the importance of both temporal replication and model validation in parasite tagging studies.

scholarly journals Potential parasite transmission in multi-host networks based on parasite sharing

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shai Pilosof ◽  
Serge Morand ◽  
Boris R Krasnov ◽  
Charles L Nunn
Keyword(s):  
Host Species ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Parasite Transmission ◽  
Species Identity ◽  
Transmission Networks ◽  
Single Host ◽  
Transmission Pathways ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Parasite Dynamics

Epidemiological networks are commonly used to explore dynamics of parasite transmission among individuals in a population of a given host species. However, many parasites infect multiple host species, and thus multi-host networks may offer a better framework for investigating parasite dynamics. We investigated the factors that influence parasite sharing – and thus potential transmission pathways – among rodent hosts in Southeast Asia. We focused on differences between networks of a single host species and networks that involve multiple host species. In host-parasite networks, modularity (the extent to which the network is divided to subgroups composed of individuals that interact more among themselves than with individuals outside the subgroup) was higher in the multi-species than in the single-species networks. This suggests that phylogeny affects patterns of parasite sharing, which was confirmed in analyses showing that it predicted affiliation of individuals to modules. We then constructed “potential transmission networks” based on the host-parasite networks, in which edges depict the number of parasites shared between a pair of individuals. The centrality of individuals in these networks differed between multi- and single-species networks, with species identity and individual characteristics influencing their position in the networks. Simulations further revealed that parasite dynamics differed between multi- and single-species networks. We conclude that multi-host networks based on parasite sharing can provide new insights into the potential for transmission among hosts in an ecological community. In addition, the factors that determine the nature of parasite sharing (i.e. structure of the host-parasite network) may impact transmission patterns.

scholarly journals Potential parasite transmission in multi-host networks based on parasite sharing

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shai Pilosof ◽  
Serge Morand ◽  
Boris R Krasnov ◽  
Charles L Nunn
Keyword(s):  
Host Species ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Parasite Transmission ◽  
Species Identity ◽  
Transmission Networks ◽  
Single Host ◽  
Transmission Pathways ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Parasite Dynamics

Epidemiological networks are commonly used to explore dynamics of parasite transmission among individuals in a population of a given host species. However, many parasites infect multiple host species, and thus multi-host networks may offer a better framework for investigating parasite dynamics. We investigated the factors that influence parasite sharing – and thus potential transmission pathways – among rodent hosts in Southeast Asia. We focused on differences between networks of a single host species and networks that involve multiple host species. In host-parasite networks, modularity (the extent to which the network is divided to subgroups composed of individuals that interact more among themselves than with individuals outside the subgroup) was higher in the multi-species than in the single-species networks. This suggests that phylogeny affects patterns of parasite sharing, which was confirmed in analyses showing that it predicted affiliation of individuals to modules. We then constructed “potential transmission networks” based on the host-parasite networks, in which edges depict the number of parasites shared between a pair of individuals. The centrality of individuals in these networks differed between multi- and single-species networks, with species identity and individual characteristics influencing their position in the networks. Simulations further revealed that parasite dynamics differed between multi- and single-species networks. We conclude that multi-host networks based on parasite sharing can provide new insights into the potential for transmission among hosts in an ecological community. In addition, the factors that determine the nature of parasite sharing (i.e. structure of the host-parasite network) may impact transmission patterns.

scholarly journals High parasite diversity in a neglected host: larval trematodes of Bithynia tentaculata in Central Europe

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Schwelm ◽  
O. Kudlai ◽  
N.J. Smit ◽  
C. Selbach ◽  
B. Sures
Keyword(s):  
Central Europe ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Snail Host ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
Curonian Lagoon ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Bithynia Tentaculata ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Host Families ◽  
High Parasite

Abstract Bithynids snails are a widespread group of molluscs in European freshwater systems. However, not much information is available on trematode communities from molluscs of this family. Here, we investigate the trematode diversity of Bithynia tentaculata, based on molecular and morphological data. A total of 682 snails from the rivers Lippe and Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and 121 B. tentaculata from Curonian Lagoon, Lithuania were screened for infections with digeneans. In total, B. tentaculata showed a trematode prevalence of 12.9% and 14%, respectively. The phylogenetic analyses based on 55 novel sequences for 36 isolates demonstrated a high diversity of digeneans. Analyses of the molecular and morphological data revealed a species-rich trematode fauna, comprising 20 species, belonging to ten families. Interestingly, the larval trematode community of B. tentaculata shows little overlap with the well-studied trematode fauna of lymnaeids and planorbids, and some of the detected species (Echinochasmus beleocephalus and E. coaxatus) constitute first records for B. tentaculata in Central Europe. Our study revealed an abundant, diverse and distinct trematode fauna in B. tentaculata, which highlights the need for further research on this so far understudied host–parasite system. Therefore, we might currently be underestimating the ecological roles of several parasite communities of non-pulmonate snail host families in European fresh waters.

scholarly journals A Bit of Sex Stabilizes Host–Parasite Dynamics

2001 ◽  
Vol 212 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
THOMAS FLATT ◽  
NICOLAS MAIRE ◽  
MICHAEL DOEBELI
Keyword(s):  
Host Parasite ◽  
Parasite Dynamics

Host-parasite dynamics and the evolution of host immunity and parasite fecundity strategies

1997 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veijo Kaitala ◽  
Mikko Heino ◽  
Wayne M. Getz
Keyword(s):  
Host Immunity ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Parasite Dynamics

The ecology of parasites of freshwater fishes: the search for patterns

Parasitology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 136 (12) ◽  
pp. 1653-1662 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. KENNEDY
Keyword(s):  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Freshwater Fishes ◽  
Convincing Evidence ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Space And Time ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Population And Community Dynamics ◽  
Parasite Populations

SUMMARYDevelopments in the study of the ecology of helminth parasites of freshwater fishes over the last half century are reviewed. Most research has of necessity been field based and has involved the search for patterns in population and community dynamics that are repeatable in space and time. Mathematical models predict that under certain conditions host and parasite populations can attain equilibrial levels through operation of regulatory factors. Such factors have been identified in several host-parasite systems and some parasite populations have been shown to persist over long time-periods. However, there is no convincing evidence that fish parasite populations are stable and regulated since in all cases alternative explanations are equally acceptable and it appears that they are non-equilibrial systems. It has proved particularly difficult to detect replicable patterns in parasite communities. Inter-specific competition, evidenced by functional and numerical responses, has been detected in several communities but its occurrence is erratic and its significance unclear. Some studies have failed to find any nested patterns in parasite community structure and richness, whereas others have identified such patterns although they are seldom constant over space and time. Departures from randomness appear to be the exception and then only temporary. It appears that parasite communities are non-equilibrial, stochastic assemblages rather than structured and organized.

scholarly journals Avian Haemosporidian Diversity on Sardinia: A First General Assessment for the Insular Mediterranean

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Irene Pellegrino ◽  
Luca Ilahiane ◽  
Giovanni Boano ◽  
Marco Cucco ◽  
Marco Pavia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Linear Models ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Breeding Birds ◽  
Lower Probability ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
Total Prevalence ◽  
Western Palearctic ◽  
Host Parasite

The Western Palearctic is one of the most investigated regions for avian haemosporidian parasites (Haemoproteus, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon), yet geographic gaps in our regional knowledge remain. Here, we report the first haemosporidian screening of the breeding birds from Sardinia (the second-largest Mediterranean Island and a biodiversity hotspot), and the first for the insular Mediterranean in general. We examined the occurrence of haemosporidians by amplifying their mtDNA cytb gene in 217 breeding birds, belonging to 32 species. The total prevalence of infected birds was 55.3%, and of the 116 haplotypes recovered, 84 were novel. Despite the high number of novel lineages, phylogenetic analysis did not highlight Sardinia-specific clades; instead, some Sardinian lineages were more closely related to lineages previously recovered from continental Europe. Host-parasite network analysis indicated a specialized host-parasite community. Binomial generalized linear models (GLMs), performed at the community level, suggested an elevational effect on haemosporidian occurrence probability (negative for Haemoproteus; positive for Leucocytozoon) likely due to differences in the abundance of insect vectors at different elevations. Furthermore, a GLM revealed that sedentary birds showed a higher probability of being infected by novel haplotypes and long-distance migrants showed a lower probability of novel haplotype infection. We hypothesize that the high diversity of haemosporidians is linked to the isolation of breeding bird populations on Sardinia. This study adds to the growing knowledge on haemosporidians lineage diversity and distribution in insular environments and presents new insights on potential host-parasite associations.

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