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

Abstract

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.

Dissemination of antibiotic resistant Enterococcus spp. and Escherichia coli from wild birds of Azores Archipelago

“…Despite the small number of regular breeding birds (40 species), the total number of bird species that have already been reported to this archipelago is close to four hundred, and the Azores islands is undoubtedly one of the best places in the western Palearctic for bird watching and game bird species [25,26].…”

A Review of Plasmodium coatneyi–Macaque Models of Severe Malaria

“…42,63,90 Unique plasmodium-vertebrate interactions continue to be discovered in reptiles and birds. 38,45,49,85,87,120 The earliest genetic evidence of a malaria plasmodium, dated at approximately 30 million years ago, was obtained through the extraction of DNA from mosquitoes fossilized in amber from the Paleogene period. 88 The Old World primate plasmodia themselves are polyphyletic and subdivide into 2 major groups.…”

Evaluation of a Restriction Fragment Length Enzyme Assay for Differentiation ofHaemoproteusandPlasmodiumAcross a Standard Region of the Mitochondrial Genome

“…This database includes partial cyt b sequences that are no larger than the 479-bp fragment between the primers HAEMF and HAEMR2 (Haemoproteus and Plasmodium) and HAEMFL and HAEMR2L (Leucocytozoon) (Bensch et al, 2000;Hellgren et al, 2004). Because the HAEMF and HAEMR2 primers amplify a fragment of the cyt b gene of both Haemoproteus and Plasmodium (Hellgren et al, 2004), it is not possible to determine which genera, or if both, are amplified without sequence analysis or restriction enzyme analysis.…”

“…However, over the last few decades, several molecular protocols targeting 18S rRNA, heat-shock, and cytrochrome b (cyt b) genes have been developed (Feldman et al, 1995;Li et al, 1995;Bensch et al, 2000;Ricklefs and Fallon, 2002;Schrenzel et al, 2003). These molecular protocols can be highly sensitive but some lack specificity (e.g., most cyt b PCR protocols co-amplify parasites in both the Haemoproteus and Plasmodium genera) (Fallon et al, 2003;Hellgren et al, 2004).…”

“…To test the effectiveness of the selected restriction enzyme, we screened a total of 220 blood samples from 25 wild bird species representing 2 orders (Anseriformes and Passeriformes) from the United States and Costa Rica, with positives being detected in common eiders from the United States (one Haemoproteus haplotype) and 21 species of Costa Rican passerines (30 unique Haemoproteus haplotypes and 3 unique Plasmodium haplotypes). Blood samples were screened for Haemoproteus and Plasmodium using the nested PCR protocol (Hellgren et al, 2004); however, an annealing temperature of 55 C was used (Bensch et al, 2000). Positive samples were then digested with EcoRV FastDigestt restriction enzyme (Fermentas Life Sciences, Glen Burnie, Maryland) following the manufacturer's instructions, and the resulting bands were analyzed by electrophoresis in a 2% agarose gel.…”