Avian malaria parasites and other haemosporidia in the Scarlet Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) and their vectors

0345617 - ÚBO 2011 CZ eng A - Abstrakt
Synek, P. - Albrecht, Tomáš - Vinkler, M. - Votypka, J. - Munclinger, P.
Avian malaria parasites and other haemosporidia in the Scarlet Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) and their vectors.
Zoologické dny Praha 2010: sborník abstraktů z konference 11.-12. února 2010. Brno: Ústav biologie obratlovců AV ČR, 2010 - (Bryja, J.; Zasadil, P.). s. 201-202. ISBN 978-80-87189-07-8.
[Zoologické dny. 11.02.2010-12.02.2010, Praha]
Výzkumný záměr: CEZ:AV0Z60930519
Klíčová slova: Scarlet rosefinch * parasites
Kód oboru RIV: EG - Zoologie
http://zoo.ivb.cz/doc/sborniky/sbornik_2010.pdf

We studied Avian malaria parasites and other Haemosporida in the Scarlet Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) using both molecular (nested PCR) and traditional microscopic techniques (blood smears) in Šumava Mountains. Bird blood samples were collected during 8 years. Parasite prevalence exceeded 61%. 24 unique cytochrome b lineages of three heamosporidian genera (Plasmodium, Heamoproteus, and Leucocytozoon) were recorded in the host species. While the most common lineage Haemoproteus ROFI2 reached 53 % of prevalence, the other lineages were far less abundant. The prevalence slightly varied between years; however, the proportion of lineages remained almost stable in the whole studied period. We compared the methods of prevalence estimates and we found the nested PCR more efficient than investigating blood smears. We suppose that extremely low parasitemia is the main cause of the lower efficiency of the traditional detection methods. We have not found any significant effect of parasites on host characteristics (body mass, reproductive success and male ornamentation), however, the Mhc allele diversity and genetic variability measured as standardized heterozygosity at 17 microsatellite loci correlated with the Plasmodium prevalence. Potentional insect vector of haemosporidian parasites were also investigated using the nested PCR method. Our results suggest Culicoides spp. as Haemoproteus vectors, Culex pipiens as Plasmodium and suprisingly Haemoproteus vector and Eusimulium securiforme as Leucocytozoon vector at the studied locality.
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0186850