Effects of Coccidial and Mycoplasmal Infections on Carotenoid-Based Plumage Pigmentation in Male House Finches

Brawner, William R.; Hill, Geoffrey E.; Sundermann, Christine A.

doi:10.1093/auk/117.4.952

Cited by 85 publications

(101 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…in review), yet contradictory to earlier studies that found high mortality in captive finches infected with Mycoplasma (Lutrell et al . 1998; Brawner et al . 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mycoplasma gallisepticuminfection dynamics in a house finch population: seasonal variation in survival, encounter and transmission rate

Faustino

Jennelle

Connolly

et al. 2004

Journal of Animal Ecology

117

168

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Summary 1.We considered the impact of an emerging pathogen ( Mycoplasma gallisepticum Edward and Kanarek) on apparent survival, encounter and transition rates in a population of a novel host (the house finch, Carpodacus mexicanus Müller). We used a multistate analysis of mark-encounter data from individually marked birds. Individual birds were categorized to a particular disease 'state'; transition rates among states, conditional on apparent survival, were analogous to rates of new infection and recovery from infection. We hypothesized that M. gallisepticum infection would reduce the apparent survival of infected individuals, and that the magnitude of this reduction would vary as a function of the physiological condition of the host (which was characterized in our analyses by including a demographic and an environmental surrogate as covariates). 2. We found consistent support for the hypothesis that M. gallisepticum infection resulted in lower apparent survival among infected individuals, and that recovery rates (from infected to non-infected) were greater than infection rates in this population. We also found strong evidence indicating that infected individuals were less likely to be encountered than were non-infected individuals. Although we predicted that both sex and temperature (proxies for physiological condition) would explain a significant proportion of the variation in our data, only marginal influences of both factors on apparent survival, encounter and state transition rates were detected. 3. Our analyses identified several factors that may be important to studies of disease in the wild. First, disease state assignment may be uncertain, which can complicate parameter estimation. Secondly, encounter rate for infected individuals in our study was low relative to that for non-infected individuals, reflecting possible behavioural changes in infected individuals. Low encounter rates reduces precision of estimated parameters, especially for multistate models. Finally, our results (and mark-recapture models in general) assume independence among individual birds. However, we are aware that there is a social structuring in house finches (and in general for many bird species). Accounting for such non-independence may be especially important for situations where the state transitions are directly related to the pattern of social contact.

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“…in review), yet contradictory to earlier studies that found high mortality in captive finches infected with Mycoplasma (Lutrell et al . 1998; Brawner et al . 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mycoplasma gallisepticuminfection dynamics in a house finch population: seasonal variation in survival, encounter and transmission rate

Faustino

Jennelle

Connolly

et al. 2004

Journal of Animal Ecology

117

168

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“…[40] in male house finches ( Haemorhous mexicanus ) at seven sites along a gradient of urbanization in the city of Phoenix, Arizona, USA. House finches are native residents of the desert southwestern United States but are now abundant inhabitants of cities around North America [41].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parasites in the City: Degree of Urbanization Predicts Poxvirus and Coccidian Infections in House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus)

et al. 2014

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BackgroundUrbanization can strongly impact the physiology, behavior, and fitness of animals. Conditions in cities may also promote the transmission and success of animal parasites and pathogens. However, to date, no studies have examined variation in the prevalence or severity of several distinct pathogens/parasites along a gradient of urbanization in animals or if these infections increase physiological stress in urban populations.Methodology/Principal FindingsHere, we measured the prevalence and severity of infection with intestinal coccidians (Isospora sp.) and the canarypox virus (Avipoxvirus) along an urban-to-rural gradient in wild male house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus). In addition, we quantified an important stress indicator in animals (oxidative stress) and several axes of urbanization, including human population density and land-use patterns within a 1 km radius of each trapping site. Prevalence of poxvirus infection and severity of coccidial infection were significantly associated with the degree of urbanization, with an increase of infection in more urban areas. The degrees of infection by the two parasites were not correlated along the urban-rural gradient. Finally, levels of oxidative damage in plasma were not associated with infection or with urbanization metrics.Conclusion/SignificanceThese results indicate that the physical presence of humans in cities and the associated altered urban landscape characteristics are associated with increased infections with both a virus and a gastrointestinal parasite in this common songbird resident of North American cities. Though we failed to find elevations in urban- or parasite/pathogen-mediated oxidative stress, humans may facilitate infections in these birds via bird feeders (i.e. horizontal disease transmission due to unsanitary surfaces and/or elevations in host population densities) and/or via elevations in other forms of physiological stress (e.g. corticosterone, nutritional).

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“…, 2000), such parasites should be especially suitable for the detection of mechanisms ensuring the honesty of signals. Indeed, the effect of experimental coccidian infection upon the carotenoid‐based ornaments has been detected in three cardueline finch species (Brawner et al. , 2000; McGraw & Hill, 2000; Hõrak et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Host resistance and parasite virulence in greenfinch coccidiosis

Hõrak

Saks

Karu

et al. 2006

Journal of Evolutionary Biology

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The question why different host individuals within a population differ with respect to infection resistance is of fundamental importance for understanding the mechanisms of parasite‐mediated selection. We addressed this question by infecting wild‐caught captive male greenfinches with intestinal coccidian parasites originating either from single or multiple hosts. Birds with naturally low pre‐experimental infection retained their low infection status also after reinfection with multiple strains, indicating that natural infection intensities confer information about the phenotypic ability of individuals to resist novel strains. Exposure to novel strains did not result in protective immunity against the subsequent infection with the same strains. Infection with multiple strains resulted in greater virulence than single‐strain infection, indicating that parasites originating from different host individuals are genetically diverse. Our experiment thus demonstrates the validity of important but rarely tested assumptions of many models of parasite‐mediated selection in a wild bird species and its common parasite.

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Effects of Coccidial and Mycoplasmal Infections on Carotenoid-Based Plumage Pigmentation in Male House Finches

Cited by 85 publications

References 42 publications

Mycoplasma gallisepticuminfection dynamics in a house finch population: seasonal variation in survival, encounter and transmission rate

Mycoplasma gallisepticuminfection dynamics in a house finch population: seasonal variation in survival, encounter and transmission rate

Parasites in the City: Degree of Urbanization Predicts Poxvirus and Coccidian Infections in House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus)

Host resistance and parasite virulence in greenfinch coccidiosis

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