Fecundity Reduction in the Second Gonotrophic Cycle ofCulex pipiensInfected with the Apicomplexan Blood Parasite,Hepatozoon sipedon

2014 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 442-446
Author(s):  
Laura V. Ferguson ◽  
Todd G. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Blood Parasite ◽  
Gonotrophic Cycle ◽  
Fecundity Reduction

The effects of natural Plasmodium falciparum infection on the fecundity and mortality of Anopheles gambiae s. l. in north east Tanzania

Parasitology ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 325-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. HOGG ◽  
H. HURD
Keyword(s):  
Anopheles Gambiae ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Avian Malaria ◽  
Falciparum Infection ◽  
Size Difference ◽  
Gonotrophic Cycle ◽  
North East ◽  
Avian Malaria Parasites ◽  
Fecundity Reduction ◽  
Sporozoite Infection

Rodent and avian malaria parasites have been reported to have an adverse affect upon the reproductive fitness of mosquitoes. In order to determine whether fecundity reduction occurs in Anopheles gambiae s. l. infected with human malaria a study of wild-caught mosquitoes was undertaken in the Muheza district of north east Tanzania. Fully engorged, indoor resting females were collected daily for 4 months and maintained for 5 days. A sporozoite rate of 11·5% was detected for the whole collection and of those females alive on day 6 an additional 17·5% were infected with oocysts alone. Oocyst, but not sporozoite, infection resulted in a 17·5% reduction in egg production. Fecundity reduction was not caused by a reduction in bloodmeal size in infected females and no size difference was detected between oocyst-infected and uninfected females although sporozoite-positive females were significantly larger. Comparisons in parity between uninfected and infected groups indicate that infection does not affect survival beyond the first gonotrophic cycle as no changes in survivorship occurred as a result of sporozoite infection.

Interactions between the intestinal flagellates Giardia muris and Spironucleus muris and the blood parasites Babesia microti, Plasmodium yoelii and Plasmodium berghei in mice

Parasitology ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara J. Brett ◽  
F. E. G. Cox
Keyword(s):  
Small Intestine ◽  
Total Duration ◽  
Plasmodium Yoelii ◽  
Blood Parasite ◽  
Blood Parasites ◽  
Babesia Microti ◽  
Parasite Infections ◽  
Immunological Factors ◽  
Temporary Decrease ◽  
Giardia Muris

SUMMARYIn mice infected with the intestinal flagellates Giardia muris or Spironucleus muris, together with the blood parasites Babesia microti or Plasmodium yoelii, there is a temporary decrease of flagellate cyst output coincident with the peak of the blood parasite infections, followed by a rapid return to normal levels. This decrease in cyst output is correlated with decreased numbers of trophozoites in the small intestine. The effect on S. muris is more marked than that on G. muris. Neither blood parasites has any effect on the total duration of the flagellate infection and the flagellates do not affect the blood parasites. In mice infected with G. muris or S. muris and P. berghei there is also a decrease in cyst output but this is less apparent than in infections with B. microti or P. yoelii because of the fatal nature of the P. berghei infection. It is suggested that the decrease in cyst output is probably due to changes in the contents of the small intestine or to non-specific immunological factors rather than to specific immunological changes.

Carotenoid-based plumage colouration in red bishops (Euplectes orix) — signalling presence rather than quality?

Behaviour ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 148 (11-13) ◽  
pp. 1372-1392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice U. Edler ◽  
Thomas W.P. Friedl
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Parasite Load ◽  
Blood Parasite ◽  
Male Reproductive Success ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Male Quality ◽  
Plumage Colouration ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Breeding Plumage

AbstractThe role of bright plumage colouration for female choice has been the focus of research in sexual selection for many years, with several studies showing that females prefer the most elaborately ornamented males, which are often also the highest quality individuals. Here, we analysed the associations between reproductive performance and plumage, body condition and blood parasite load in the red bishop (Euplectes orix), a sexually dimorphic and polygynous weaverbird species, where males in a carotenoid-based orange-to-red breeding plumage defend territories and build many nests to which they try to attract females. Male reproductive success in terms of number of nests accepted was mainly determined by the number of nests built, but was also positively related to blood parasite load, while we found no influence of plumage characteristics. Together with previously obtained data, our results indicate that plumage characteristics in the red bishop do not affect male reproductive success and are generally not suitable to reliably indicate male quality. We suggest that the primary function of the brilliant orange-scarlet breeding plumage might be presence signalling in terms of increasing conspicuousness of breeding males to females searching for mates.

Age composition of the filarial vector Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Calcutta, India

1996 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Chandra ◽  
B. Seal ◽  
A.K. Hati
Keyword(s):  
Culex Quinquefasciatus ◽  
Average Duration ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Gonotrophic Cycle ◽  
Daily Survival Rate ◽  
Daily Mortality ◽  
Age Composition ◽  
Adult Females ◽  
Vector Mosquito ◽  
Filarial Vector

AbstractAge composition of the filarial vector mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) was determined by examining the number of ovariolar dilatations of 1200 adult females from Calcutta. Average duration of the gonotrophic cycle was 4.5 days. The proportion parous, the daily survival rate and daily mortality rates of the natural population were 0.53, 0.87 and 13%, respectively. The oldest mosquito sampled in the study area passed eight gonotrophic cycles in its lifetime.

scholarly journals Spatially different annual cycles but similar haemosporidian infections in distant populations of collared sand martins

BMC Zoology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steffen Hahn ◽  
Martins Briedis ◽  
Christos Barboutis ◽  
Raffaella Schmid ◽  
Martin Schulze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Chronic Infection ◽  
Blood Parasite ◽  
Spring Migration ◽  
Lake Chad ◽  
Annual Cycles ◽  
Nonbreeding Season ◽  
Breeding Populations ◽  
High Parasitaemia ◽  
Western Palaearctic

Abstract Background Populations of long-distance migratory birds experience different environments and are consequently exposed to different parasites throughout their annual cycles. Though, specific whereabouts and accompanied host-parasite interactions remain unknown for most migratory passerines. Collared sand martins (Riparia riparia) breeding in the western Palaearctic spend the nonbreeding period in Africa, but it is not yet clear whether specific populations differ in overwintering locations and whether these also result in varying infections with vector-transmitted endoparasites. Results Geolocator tracking revealed that collared sand martins from northern-central and central-eastern Europe migrate to distant nonbreeding sites in West Africa and the Lake Chad basin in central Africa, respectively. While the ranges of these populations were clearly separated throughout the year, they consistently spent up to 60% of the annual cycle in Africa. Ambient light recorded by geolocators further indicated unsheltered roosting during the nonbreeding season in Africa compared to the breeding season in Europe. We found 5–26% prevalence of haemosporidian parasites in three breeding populations and one migratory passage population that was only sampled but not tracked. In total, we identified seven Plasmodium and nine Haemoproteus lineages (incl. two and seven new lineages, respectively), the latter presumably typical for swallows (Hirundinae) hosts. 99.5% of infections had a low intensity, typical for chronic infection stages, whereas three individuals (0.5%) showed high parasitaemia typical for acute infections during spring migration and breeding. Conclusions Our study shows that blood parasite infections are common in several western Palaearctic breeding populations of collared sand martins who spent the nonbreeding season in West Africa and the lake Chad region. Due to long residency at the nonbreeding grounds blood parasite transmissions may mainly occur at host population-specific residences sites in Europe and Africa; the latter being likely facilitated by unsheltered roosting and thus high vulnerability to hematophagous insects. The rare cases of high parasitaemia during spring migration and breeding further indicates either relapses of chronic infection or primary infections which occurred shortly before migration and during breeding.

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