Genetic diversity of avian blood parasites in SE Europe: Cytochrome b lineages of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus (Haemosporida) from Bulgaria

Dimitrov, Dimitar; Zehtindjiev, Pavel; Bensch, Staffan

doi:10.2478/s11686-010-0029-z

Cited by 89 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 54 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The lineage LINN1 has been found in the Eurasian Linnet (Carduelis cannabina) in Sweden, the Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) in the United Kingdom (Wood et al, 2007), and the Eurasian Blackbird in France (Bentz et al, 2006). The lineage SYAT5 has been found in Sardinian warblers (Sylvia melanocephala) in Italy, Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) on the Canary Islands, American Robins (Turdus migratorius) in North America, and Eurasian Blackbirds in France (Bentz et al, 2006;Bensch et al, 2009) and Bulgaria (Dimitrov et al, 2010).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low Haemosporidian Diversity and One Key-Host Species in a Bird Malaria Community on a Mid-Atlantic Island (São Miguel, Azores)

Hellgren

Križanauskienė

Hasselquist

et al. 2011

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ABSTRACT:When host species colonize new areas, the parasite assemblage infecting the hosts might change, with some parasite species being lost and others newly acquired. These changes would likely lead to novel selective forces on both host and its parasites. We investigated the avian blood parasites in the passerine bird community on the mid-Atlantic island of São Miguel, Azores, a bird community originating from continental Europe. The presence of haemosporidian blood parasites belonging to the genera Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon was assessed using polymerase chain reaction. We found two Plasmodium lineages and two Leucocytozoon lineages in 11 bird species (84% of all breeding passerine species) on the island. These lineages were unevenly distributed across bird species. The Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) was the key-host species (total parasite prevalence of 57%), harboring the main proportion of parasite infections. Except for Eurasian Blackbirds, all bird species had significantly lower prevalence and parasite diversity compared to their continental populations. We propose that in evolutionary novel bird communities, single species may act as key hosts by harboring the main part of the parasite fauna from which parasites ''leak'' into the other species. This would create very different host-parasite associations in areas recently colonized by hosts as compared to in their source populations.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low Haemosporidian Diversity and One Key-Host Species in a Bird Malaria Community on a Mid-Atlantic Island (São Miguel, Azores)

Hellgren

Križanauskienė

Hasselquist

et al. 2011

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The SW1 Haemoproteus lineage has been found in the Sedge Warbler both in Europe (Bensch et al 2000;Dimitrov et al 2010) and in its wintering grounds in Nigeria (Waldenström et al 2002), and also in other species (African Reed Warbler A. baeticatus, Waldenström et al 2002;Marsh Warbler A. palustris, Hellgren et al 2007;Eurasian Reed Warbler A. scirpaceus, Dimitrov et al 2010). So far, the SW3 lineage has been found only in the Sedge Warbler (Waldenström et al 2002;Hellgren et al 2007;Dimitrov et al 2010), but it may have been overlooked in different species due to problems with primertarget sequence compatibility.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A quantitative PCR protocol for detecting specific Haemoproteus lineages: molecular characterization of blood parasites in a Sedge Warbler population from southern Poland

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In evolutionary studies, blood parasites in avian populations are commonly used as a model of host-parasite interactions. The effect of mixed infections on avian hosts has recently drawn more interest, but the effects of infection with multiple blood parasites and specific parasite lineages are poorly known. A protocol for reliable detection and quantification of lineages is essential to this type of research. Here, we present a newly developed quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay using SYBR Green I to assess the infection intensity of SW1 and SW3 Haemoproteus belopolskyi lineages in a Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) population from southern Poland. These Haemoproteus lineages are not specific to the Sedge Warbler, so the proposed protocol should prove useful for many avian malaria studies. The assay is based on nucleotide primers designed to amplify a fragment of the cytochrome b gene, allowing the two avian malaria lineages to be differentiated. Using this assay, specific host-parasite interactions can be identified and the impact of mixed infections on a host population can be assessed. Most of the parasitized birds in our study were in a low-intensity, chronic phase of infection. In those with mixed SW1/SW3 infections, we detected significantly higher parasitemia caused by the SW3 lineage, whose prevalence was underestimated by the commonly used method, nested PCR. The prevalence of avian malaria parasites in the studied population as estimated by nested PCR was 61 % and did not differ between years, though the prevalence of the SW1 lineage showed significant annual variation. Altogether, two Haemoproteus and five Plasmodium lineages were detected. The two Haemoproteus lineages (SW1, SW3) were most prevalent in the population and comprised 93 % of all infections. We detected significantly higher haemoparasite prevalence and intensity in males, which were sampled immediately after arrival from wintering grounds, suggesting decreased immunoprotection as a result of adaptive resource allocation during migration.

show abstract

“…Species of avian Plasmodium are known to be host generalists and are often capable of being transmitted to avian hosts belonging to different families or orders (Waldenström et al 2002, Dimitrov et al 2010. However, species of Leucocytozoon are considered host-specific mostly at avian order and in some cases family, subfamily and species levels (Forrester and Greiner 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation of avian haemosporidian parasites from raptor birds in Turkey, with molecular characterisation and microscopic confirmation

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Avian haemosporidians are common vector-borne blood parasites that have been reported in birds all over the world. Investigations of avian haemosporidian parasites are conducted mainly on passerine birds. However, studies that focus on non-passerine avian hosts are important for our understanding of the true diversity, host specificity and genetic variability among these widespread parasites. In the present study, blood samples from a total of 22 raptor birds belonging to two orders, two families and six species from the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey were investigated for three genera of avian haemosporidians (Plasmodium Marchiafava et Celli, 1885, Haemoproteus Kruse, 1890 and Leucocytozoon Sambon, 1908) using a combination of microscopic examination of blood films and nested PCR targeting the parasite mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt-b). In total, six individual raptor birds identified positive for species of Plasmodium or Leucocytozoon and one individual was found co-infected with all three haemosporidian genera. We identified five parasite cyt-b haplotypes, three of which were reported for the first time. Among these, one Plasmodium haplotype is linked to a corresponding morphospecies (P-TURDUS1, Plasmodium circumflexum Kikuth, 1931). All haplotypes were clearly distinguishable in phylogenetic analyses. As one of the first studies to investigate blood parasites from non-passerine birds in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey, this study provides important new information on the phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites from raptor birds. We discuss these findings in the context of avian haemosporidian host-parasite relationships and we draw attention to the need for microscopy to detect parasite sexual development stages in surveys of avian haemosporidians.

show abstract

Genetic diversity of avian blood parasites in SE Europe: Cytochrome b lineages of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus (Haemosporida) from Bulgaria

Cited by 89 publications

References 54 publications

Low Haemosporidian Diversity and One Key-Host Species in a Bird Malaria Community on a Mid-Atlantic Island (São Miguel, Azores)

Low Haemosporidian Diversity and One Key-Host Species in a Bird Malaria Community on a Mid-Atlantic Island (São Miguel, Azores)

A quantitative PCR protocol for detecting specific Haemoproteus lineages: molecular characterization of blood parasites in a Sedge Warbler population from southern Poland

Investigation of avian haemosporidian parasites from raptor birds in Turkey, with molecular characterisation and microscopic confirmation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About