Geographic variation in malarial parasite lineages in the common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

Abstract

Our current understanding of migration routes of many birds is limited and researchers have employed various methods to determine migratory patterns. Recently, parasites have been used to track migratory birds. The objective of this study was to determine whether haemosporidian parasite lineages detect significant geographic structure in common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas). We examined liver tissue or blood from 552 birds sampled from multiple locations throughout the continental United States, southern Canada, and the Bahamas. We found a 52.7% overall prevalence of haematozoan infection. We identified 86.1% of these infections to genus: 81% were Plasmodium; 5% were Haemoproteus; and 0.1% were Leucocytozoon. There were significant differences in the prevalence of different parasite genera among regions (v 2 = 36.82, P \ 0.0001) and in the proportion of Plasmodium infections versus other parasites among regions (v 2 = 35.52, P \ 0.0001). Sequence information identified three Haemoproteus lineages, two Leucocytozoon lineages, and thirteen Plasmodium lineages. Due to the low number of Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon, only Plasmodium lineages were used in the geographic comparison of lineages. Six Plasmodium lineages were found in eight or more birds and the prevalence of these varied significantly among regions (v 2 = 172.33, P \ 0.0001). Additionally, 45 juvenile birds were sampled to determine what parasites could be obtained in the breeding grounds and we found only one lineage. In conclusion, parasite lineages show some geographic structure, with some lineages being more geographically specific than others, but are not useful for determining migratory connectivity in this species.

Prevalence and diversity of avian malaria parasites in migratory Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger, Laridae, Charadriiformes) from the Brazilian Amazon Basin

“…RYNI isolate RDSM1. This lineage also was described in three families of the order Passeriformes, including two bird species from southwestern and northeastern USA (Pagenknopp et al 2008;Levin et al 2013) and three bird species from Brazil (Lacorte et al 2013). This lineage was registered in a passerine species in Chile and is denominated ChP5 (Merino et al 2008).…”

“…RYNI_RDSM1 and Plasmodium sp. RYNI_RDSM2, had previously been described in different regions of the American continent (Ishak et al 2008;Merino et al 2008;Pagenknopp et al 2008;Levin et al 2013), including a Neotropical region in Southeast Brazil (Lacorte et al 2013) ( Table 1).…”

Hidden haemosporidian infections in Ruffs (Philomachus pugnax) staging in Northwest Europe en route from Africa to Arctic Europe

“…Although we did not test this assumption ourselves, other authors have obtained similar proportions of positive results from blood tissue and the tissue of organs and muscles (Ishtiaq et al 2007;Pagenkopp et al 2008).…”

“…Recent studies on the ecology of bird-haemosporidians interactions have been largely based on single blood samples (Waldenström et al 2002;Mendes et al 2005;Pagenkopp et al 2008;Beadell et al 2009;Yohannes et al 2009). However, haemosporidians have complex life cycles involving both dipteran vectors and vertebrate hosts and several stages in the blood and other organs of the vertebrate host (Atkinson and Van Riper 1991;Valkiūnas 2005;Atkinson 2008a, b).…”

Recent Advances in Studies on Avian Malaria Parasites

“…More recently, Pagenkopp et al (2008) analysed liver tissue and blood trying to determine whether haemosporidian parasite lineages detected significant geographic structure in common yellowthroats Geothlypis trichas. They compared Plasmodium lineages infecting birds showing some geographical structure, where some lineages seems to be more geographically specific than others, allowing some discrimination of origin.…”