Incidence of Blood Parasites in Birds Collected in Southwestern Georgia

1953 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gory J. Love ◽  
Sara Ann Wilkin ◽  
Melvin H. Goodwin
Keyword(s):  
2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Stephanie C. Nordmeyer ◽  
Gina Henry ◽  
Trina Guerra ◽  
David Rodriguez ◽  
Michael R.J. Forstner ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Yvonne R. Schumm ◽  
Dimitris Bakaloudis ◽  
Christos Barboutis ◽  
Jacopo G. Cecere ◽  
Cyril Eraud ◽  
...  

AbstractDiseases 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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 693-703
Author(s):  
W. G. D. Chathuranga ◽  
B. R. Fernando ◽  
T. C. Weereratne ◽  
S. H. P. P. Karunaratne ◽  
W. A. Priyanka P. De Silva

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1451
Author(s):  
Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas ◽  
Josef Harl ◽  
Vytautas Preikša ◽  
Dovilė Bukauskaitė ◽  
Mikas Ilgūnas ◽  
...  

Recent studies confirmed that some Hepatozoon-like blood parasites (Apicomplexa) of birds are closely related to the amphibian parasite Lankesterella minima. Little is known about the biology of these pathogens in birds, including their distribution, life cycles, specificity, vectors, and molecular characterization. Using blood samples of 641 birds from 16 species, we (i) determined the prevalence and molecular diversity of Lankesterella parasites in naturally infected birds; (ii) investigated the development of Lankesterella kabeeni in laboratory-reared mosquitoes, Culex pipiens forma molestus and Aedes aegypti; and (iii) tested experimentally the susceptibility of domestic canaries, Serinus canaria, to this parasite. This study combined molecular and morphological diagnostic methods and determined 11% prevalence of Lankesterella parasites in Acrocephalidae birds; 16 Lankesterella lineages with a certain degree of host specificity and two new species (Lankesterella vacuolata n. sp. and Lankesterella macrovacuolata n. sp.) were found and characterized. Lankesterella kabeeni (formerly Hepatozoon kabeeni) was re-described. Serinus canaria were resistant after various experimental exposures. Lankesterella sporozoites rapidly escaped from host cells in vitro. Sporozoites persisted for a long time in infected mosquitoes (up to 42 days post exposure). Our study demonstrated a high diversity of Lankesterella parasites in birds, and showed that several avian Hepatozoon-like parasites, in fact, belong to Lankesterella genus.


Author(s):  
Beatriz Tomé ◽  
D. James Harris ◽  
Ana Perera ◽  
Isabel Damas-Moreira

AbstractInvasive species can carry parasites to introduced locations, which may be key to understand the success or failure of species establishment and the invasive potential of introduced species. We compared the prevalence and infection levels of haemogregarine blood parasites between two sympatric congeneric species in Lisbon, Portugal: the invasive Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus) and the native green Iberian wall lizard (Podarcis virescens). The two species had significant differences in their infection levels: while P. virescens had high prevalence of infection (69.0%), only one individual of P. siculus was infected (3.7%), and while P. virescens exhibited an average intensity of 1.36%, the infected P. siculus individual had an infection rate of only 0.04%. Genetic analyses of 18S rRNA identified two different haemogregarine haplotypes in P. virescens. Due to the low levels of infection, we were not able to amplify parasite DNA from the infected P. siculus individual, although it was morphologically similar to those found in P. virescens. Since other studies also reported low levels of parasites in P. siculus, we hypothesize that this general lack of parasites could be one of the factors contributing to its competitive advantage over native lizard species and introduction success.


2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 286-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher L. Kloss ◽  
Alan M. Fedynich ◽  
Bart M. Ballard
Keyword(s):  

1990 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 398-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID W. STEADMAN ◽  
ELLIS C. GREINER ◽  
CHRISTOPHER S. WOOD

2008 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 348-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Banfi ◽  
L. Germagnoli

Preanalytical Phase in Haematology The preanalytical phase is particularly important in haematology, where counts of particles and cells are performed in whole anticoagulated blood. The correct use and concentration of anticoagulant is mandatory to avoid spurious results, which can influence clinical decision. EDTA is the anticoagulant of choice, but it has some limits, especially for preserving stability and shape of platelets. Stability of haematological parameters is high, with the exception of leukocytes and reticulocytes. However, stability (and instrumental precision) should be evaluated together with biological variability and individuality index of various haematological parameters. Hematological tests are also influenced and interfered by high amounts of lipids and chylomicrons. The mixing procedure of the tubes after blood drawing and before analysis is also crucial for obtaining correct and valid data. There are some examples of interferences on automated haematological analysers which are used for diagnosing and screening pathological conditions. Cryoglobulins and erythrocytes parasites can induce spurious results of WBC, RBC and PLT, but the repeatability of these interferences could be used for alerting the pathologist and could reveal the presence of pathological proteins or blood parasites. New parameters have been proposed by modern haematological analysers, directly defined or calculated from traditional measures, but the clinical impact of these new parameters is often dependent on preanalytical variables.


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