Leucocytozoon lovati Infections in Wild Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) in Japan

Hagihara, Mio; Yamaguchi, Tsuyoshi; Kitahara, Masanobu; Hirai, Katsuya; Murata, Koichi

doi:10.7589/0090-3558-40.4.804

Cited by 14 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Calculation of the infection rate: For evaluating the parasitemia, we used the Ashford Scale [2,10]. This scale is described as follows: grade 0, no infected cells are observed in any of the fields under × 100 magnification; grade 1, less than one infected cell is observed in 100 fields under × 400 magnification; grade 2, 1-10 infected cells are observed in 100 fields under × 400 magnification; grade 3, 11-100 infected cells are observed in 100 fields under × 400 magnification; grade 4, more than 100 infected cells are observed in 100 fields under × 400 magnification.…”

Section: Number Of Birds Surveyedmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent studies have found that Japanese rock ptarmigans are infected with Leucocytozoon lovati [10]. Infection with these hematozoan parasites is reported to be prevalent in wild ptarmigans and grouses in the Palearctic and Nearctic regions [3], and the infection in the Japanese rock ptarmigan indicates the distribution of L. lovati in the lower latitudes.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The Japanese rock ptarmigan (L. m. japonicus), one of these subspecies, inhabits mountain ranges in Japan situated at an altitude of 2,400 m above sea level or higher [10].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The survival rate among chicks of the Japanese rock ptarmigan is low and it might drop to 10% or lower (T. Sakanakura unpubl. data); therefore, a relation between the L. lovati infection and the decrease in the population of the ptarmigans is suspected [10]. Environmental deterioration and/or climate changes because of global warming in the alpine zones, which are the unique habitats of the rock ptarmigan, is generally suspected to be the main cause of the declining population of the species.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Environmental deterioration and/or climate changes because of global warming in the alpine zones, which are the unique habitats of the rock ptarmigan, is generally suspected to be the main cause of the declining population of the species. On the other hand, few studies have investigated the influence of etiologic agents on the population of the species [10,12,14]. Therefore, we surveyed the geographical distribution and seasonality of the prevalence of L. lovati in wild Japanese rock ptarmigans in order to identify and analyze the causes of the decrease in their population.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Geographical Distribution and Seasonality of the Prevalence of Leucocytozoon lovati in Japanese Rock Ptarmigans (Lagopus mutus japonicus) found in the Alpine Regions of Japan

Murata

Tamada

Ichikawa

et al. 2007

The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science

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ABSTRACT. In this study, we investigated the geographical distribution and seasonality of Leucocytozoon lovati infection in the Japanese rock ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus japonicus); this bird is one of the special natural monuments of Japan that inhabits the Japanese alpine regions. We examined blood samples from birds captured in the Kubiki, Hida, and Akaishi mountain ranges for three years from 2002 to 2005. Seventy-three blood samples from 42 males, 19 females, and 12 birds of unknown sex were used for this study. The rate of infection with L. lovati was 78.1% in the 73 birds examined. We demonstrated that the L. lovati infection was distributed across wide ranges of ptarmigan populations from the northern to the southern alpine zones. There was no sex bias in the prevalence ratio. The prevalence of L. lovati and the level of parasitization of the blood cells tended to increase from spring through summer; in contrast, a decrease was observed from summer through autumn. Although L. lovati infection was observed in a number of local populations inhabiting three mountainous regions, no infected birds were found in Mt. Johnen-dake and Mt. Maejohnen-dake. It is necessary to continue surveying the relationship between the population dynamics of the ptarmigan and the density of the arthropod vector from the perspective of in situ conservation of this endangered species.

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Section: Number Of Birds Surveyedmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The Japanese rock ptarmigan (L. m. japonicus), one of these subspecies, inhabits mountain ranges in Japan situated at an altitude of 2,400 m above sea level or higher [10].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geographical Distribution and Seasonality of the Prevalence of Leucocytozoon lovati in Japanese Rock Ptarmigans (Lagopus mutus japonicus) found in the Alpine Regions of Japan

Murata

Tamada

Ichikawa

et al. 2007

The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science

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Molecular detection of Leucocytozoon lovati from probable vectors, black flies (Simuliudae) collected in the alpine regions of Japan

et al. 2008

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Probable arthropod vectors of avian blood protozoa, Leucocytozoon lovati, were collected in the alpine regions of Japan, the habitats of the host birds of Japanese rock ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus japonicus). Seven alpine regions of Japan, Asahidake, Chogatake, Tateyama, Jiigatake, Norikura, Kitadake, and Senjyogatake were investigated for black fly collection during 2004 to 2007. The collected 490 insects were morphologically identified as six species of female black flies, including Prosimulium hirtipes group (n = 59), Prosimulium mutata (n = 13), Prosimulium yezoense (n = 10), Similium japonicum (n = 359), Similium uchidai (n = 39), and Twinnia japonensis (n = 10). Extracted DNAs from individual black fly species were utilized for the amplification of the partial mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences of Leucocytozoon lovati previously reported. Four S. japonicum, two S. uchidai, and two P. hirtipes group studied were positive for the nested PCR among 490 black flies collected (1.6%; 8/490). All amplified sequences from the black flies were completely identical to those of L. lovati previously detected from Japanese rock ptarmigan. Our results suggest that at least three species of black flies, S. japonicum, S. uchidai, and P. hirtipes group, studied in this area could be regarded as potential vectors for L. lovati in the rock ptarmigan. This is the first detection case of Leucocytozoon from black flies of Japan.

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Prevalence of avian malaria parasite in mosquitoes collected at a zoological garden in Japan

et al. 2009

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Several species of captive birds at zoological gardens of Japan were found to be infected with avian Plasmodium. However, incriminated vector mosquito species have not been identified yet. To indicate the competent vectors of avian malaria parasite, we collected mosquitoes at a zoological garden in Japan and examined for the avian malaria parasite DNA. Totally, 1,361 mosquitoes of 11 species were collected in the zoological garden of Kanagawa, the south of Tokyo in Japan in 2005. Captured mosquitoes were pooled by each species, date collected, and location and used for DNA extraction. Eight out of 169 DNA samples were positive for the nested PCR of avian Plasmodium cyt b gene. Estimated minimum infection rates of mosquitoes were 5.9 per 1,000. The PCR positive mosquito species were Culex pipiens group and Lutzia vorax. Some DNA sequences amplified from collected mosquitoes were identical to avian Plasmodium lineages detected from captive birds in the same zoological garden studied. Our results suggest that C. pipiens group and L. vorax could be incriminated vectors of avian malaria parasite transmitting in captive birds kept in the zoological garden in Japan.

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Leucocytozoon lovati Infections in Wild Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) in Japan

Cited by 14 publications

References 12 publications

Geographical Distribution and Seasonality of the Prevalence of Leucocytozoon lovati in Japanese Rock Ptarmigans (Lagopus mutus japonicus) found in the Alpine Regions of Japan

Geographical Distribution and Seasonality of the Prevalence of Leucocytozoon lovati in Japanese Rock Ptarmigans (Lagopus mutus japonicus) found in the Alpine Regions of Japan

Molecular detection of Leucocytozoon lovati from probable vectors, black flies (Simuliudae) collected in the alpine regions of Japan

Prevalence of avian malaria parasite in mosquitoes collected at a zoological garden in Japan

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