First report of haemosporidia and associated risk factors in red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) in China

Abstract

Background Avian haemosporidia infect both domestic and wild birds, causing anemia, acute tissue degeneration, and depopulation in wild birds. Poultry and wild birds have been reported as common reservoirs of haemosporidia, but limited information is available for red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) in China. The present study investigated the prevalence and molecular characterization of haemosporidia in red junglefowl. Methods Blood samples were collected from 234 red junglefowl from Jinghong City of Yunnan Province, and genomic DNA was extracted from these samples. The prevalence of haemosporidia was determined by nested PCR targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) gene. Molecular characterization was investigated based on phylogenetic analysis of cytb sequences, and associated risk factors were analyzed using the Chi-square (χ2) test. Results The overall prevalence of haemosporidia was 74.8% (175/234), and three species were identified, namely Haemoproteus enucleator, Leucocytozoon californicus, and Plasmodium juxtanucleare. The prevalence of haemosporidia in adult fowl (81.1%, 107/132) was significantly higher (χ2 = 6.32, df = 1, P = 0.012) than that in juveniles (66.7%, 68/102). Three novel haemosporidian lineages were revealed. Conclusions This study examined the prevalence and identified species of avian haemosporidians in red junglefowl, providing new information on the molecular epidemiology and geographical distribution of haemosporidian parasites. Our results indicated high prevalence and diverse species distribution of these haemosporidians in red junglefowl. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first record of haemosporidian infection in red junglefowl in China. Graphical Abstract

Occurrence of Avian Haemosporidians in Rural chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) from Kaltungo, Northeastern Nigeria

“…However, due to the effects of the insurgency and other natural disasters, such as flooding in some parts of Northern Nigeria, millions of people have been forced to evacuate their homes in search of safety in nearby safe regions, creating an unprecedented demand for food to survive (Durodola, 2019;Mukhtar, 2020;Echendu, 2022). Poultry farming, which provides a highly nutritious source of animal protein (meat and eggs) and is thought to be the most economical method of livestock production when compared to cattle, sheep, and goats, is a dependable and affordable livestock production system that can help protect vulnerable people from poverty and malnutrition (Osabohien et al, 2020;Mbuli et al, 2021;Li et al, 2022). The predominance of rural chickens in Nigeria's poultry sector is a good indicator that these species of birds need more attention for increased performance since they are among the most common and widely dispersed avian species among poultry birds worldwide (Ajala et al, 2021;Amato and Castellini, 2022).…”

“…Unfortunately, there are a number of constraints that affect successful chicken production, including but not limited to the threat posed by infectious pathogens of bacterial, viral, parasitic, and protozoan origins (Alasadiy et al, 2020;Hafez and Attia, 2020). Haemosporidian are one of the infectious haemoparasites that are becoming more prevalent in poultry production systems in developing countries, including Nigeria (Aiyedun et al, 2022;Lawal et al, 2022), and they may significantly limit productivity in backyard and small-scale poultry farming globally (Li et al, 2022). Worldwide reports of more than 200 species of avian hemoparasites have been categorized generally into four different genera: Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, and Hepatocystis (Valkiunas, 2005;Bensch et al, 2009;Palinauskas et al, 2009;2015).…”

“…The poultry industry has recently focused on disease diagnosis and prevention, high production, highquality products, and affordable production costs. Avian haemoparasites have been documented to have significant effects on the health status of infected domesticated and wild birds by reducing their growth, body condition, and productivity (Yang et al, 2021;Li et al, 2022). However, severe infections by avian haemoparasites can result in death and could involve various physio-pathological phenomena like anemia, thrombocytopenia, and inflammation (Cannell et al, 2014;Lee et al, 2016;Nourani et al, 2018).…”