Prevalence of Leucocytozoon spp, in the endangered yellow-eyed penguin Megadyptes antipodes

Abstract

Yellow-eyed penguins on Stewart Island were identified with a Leucocytozoon spp. of a novel lineage in association with a high regional incidence of chick mortality (n=32, 100% mortality) during the November 2006 to January 2007 breeding season. Fourteen chicks from Stewart Island were examined post-mortem and histologically for Leucocytozoon infection. In addition, a survey of blood to detect Leucocytozoon spp. infections using PCR was performed on 107 yellow-eyed penguins from 4 distinct nesting areas on the South Island (Oamaru, Otago Peninsula, and Catlins) (n=95), and Stewart Island (n=12). The results of the study revealed that 2 of the 14 (14%) chicks necropsied showed severe, disseminated megaloschizont formation in the liver, spleen, lung, kidney and other tissues characteristic of leucocytozoonosis. Eighty-three percent (83%) of blood samples collected from Stewart Island penguins contained Leucocytozoon DNA, whereas samples from the 3 other nesting areas were negative for the blood parasite. Leucocytozoon spp. DNA sequences isolated from blood and tissues of adults (n=10) and chicks (n=7) were similar and grouped with other published Leucocytozoon spp. sequences but in a distinct cluster together with closely related isolates from a Western march harrier (Circus aerginosus) and common loon (Gavia immer). These findings suggest that yellow-eyed penguins on Stewart Island are infected with a regionally isolated, host-specific Leucocytozoon spp. which may contribute to the high chick mortality observed during this period.

The pathology and pathogenicity of a novel Haemoproteus spp. infection in wild Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor)

“…Haemoproteus spp. in penguins have only been reported so far in a study of haemoparasites of Galapagos penguins A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 2005) and were associated with increased regional chick mortality with evidence of severe, disseminated megaloschizont formation in multiple tissues in the latter species (Hill et al 2010). Haemoparasites have rarely been observed in Little Penguins (Jones & Shellam 1999a,b), though a "malaria-like parasite" was noted to have caused the mortality of two wild Little Penguins from New South Wales in 2000 (Rose 2001) and Leucocytozoon takawi was transferred from a Fiordland crested penguin into a juvenile Little Penguin (Allison et al 1978).…”

High prevalence ofLeucocytozoonspp. in the endangered yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) in the sub-Antarctic regions of New Zealand

“…These population declines have been attributed to non-infectious events such as unidentified phytotoxins (Gill and Darby, 1993), starvation, poor nutrition (Vanheezik, 1990a;Vanheezik and Davis, 1990) and a possible relationship with climatic events such as El Nino or the Southern Oscillation (Moore and Wakelin, 1997). Infectious causes of population decline have also been identified, in particular avian haemoparasites, such as Plasmodium and more recently Leucocytozoon (Graczyk et al 1995;Alley, 2005;Hill et al 2010).…”

Estudo da malária aviária e outros hemoparasitas em pinguins na costa atlântica da América do Sul

“…On the other hand, other authors have observed leucocytozoids in yellow-eyed penguins at several New Zealand islands but preferred not to infer on the species involved (HILL, 2008;. Phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene indicated that these lineages belonged to the subgenus Leucocytozoon, and that there might be at least two different phylogenetic clusters of Leucocytozoon sp in yellow-eyed penguins: cluster A is limited to Enderby Island and might be more pathogenic than cluster B, which was detected at Enderby, Campbell, South and Stewart Islands .…”

“…Leucocytozoon has been identified in Fiordland (FALLIS et al, 1976;ALLISON et al, 1978), yellow-eyed , and African penguins (FALLIS et al, 1976;EARLÉ et al, 1992;HILL, 2008) (Table 4.1). Additionally, Macaroni penguins have been found to carry the infection in captivity, but Humboldt penguins in the same collection did not harbour the parasite at the time .…”

“…Zealand (FALLIS et al, 1976;ALLISON et al, 1978;, there is evidence to suggest this parasite can be significantly pathogenic to penguins, particularly chicks (HILL, 2008;.…”