Detection of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Wild Birds in Slovakia
Haemosporidians are a group of vector-borne parasites belonging to the order Haemosporida. These parasites infect avian hosts and require blood-sucking insects (Diptera) for transmission. The occurrence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites are shaped primarily by the specificity of the parasite...
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| author | Lenka Minichová Vladimír Slobodník Roman Slobodník Milan Olekšák Zuzana Hamšíková Ľudovít Škultéty Eva Špitalská |
| author_facet | Lenka Minichová Vladimír Slobodník Roman Slobodník Milan Olekšák Zuzana Hamšíková Ľudovít Škultéty Eva Špitalská |
| author_sort | Lenka Minichová |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Haemosporidians are a group of vector-borne parasites belonging to the order Haemosporida. These parasites infect avian hosts and require blood-sucking insects (Diptera) for transmission. The occurrence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites are shaped primarily by the specificity of the parasite and the susceptibility of the host/vector. In this study, the presence and distribution of haemosporidians in blood samples from birds in urbanized and natural habitats were estimated using microscopic and molecular approaches. Birds in urbanized habitats were infected with four different species of <i>Plasmodium</i>, <i>P. relictum</i>, <i>P</i>. <i>vaughani</i>, <i>P. matutinum</i>, and <i>P. circumflexum</i>, and one species of <i>Haemoproteus</i>, <i>H. parabelopolskyi</i>, and <i>Leucocytozoon</i> sp. The species <i>H. attenuatus</i>, <i>H. concavocentralis</i>, <i>H. minutus</i>, <i>H. pallidus</i>, <i>H. noctuae,</i> and <i>H. tartakovskyi</i> were additionally identified in birds in natural habitats. Typically, juvenile birds are essential markers of parasite species transmitted in the study area. The juveniles in the urbanized habitats carried <i>P</i>. <i>relictum</i>, <i>P</i>. <i>vaughani</i>, <i>P</i>. <i>circumflexum</i>, <i>H</i>. <i>parabelopolskyi</i>, and <i>Leucocytozoon</i> species. The most abundant parasite was <i>H</i>. <i>parabelopolskyi</i>, which was found in both habitat types. The prevalence of <i>Haemoproteus</i>/<i>Plasmodium</i> species determined by nested PCR in birds in natural habitats (43.80%; 53/121) was significantly greater than that in birds in urbanized habitats (21.94%; 43/196) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the infection rate of <i>Leucocytozoon</i> sp. between the habitat types (<i>p</i> > 0.05; 10/121 vs. 19/196). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:35:08Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-04978ff2711d4dd18eb9030bc09f8b172024-02-23T15:14:07ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182024-02-0116212110.3390/d16020121Detection of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Wild Birds in SlovakiaLenka Minichová0Vladimír Slobodník1Roman Slobodník2Milan Olekšák3Zuzana Hamšíková4Ľudovít Škultéty5Eva Špitalská6Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy Sciences, Dúbravska cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, SlovakiaState Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic, Dlhá 3, 971 01 Prievidza, SlovakiaRaptor Protection of Slovakia, Trhová 54, 841 04 Bratislava, SlovakiaNational Park Slovak Karst, Hámossyho 188, 049 51 Brzotín, SlovakiaInstitute of Zoology, Slovak Academy Sciences, Dúbravska cesta 9, 845 06 Bratislava, SlovakiaInstitute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy Sciences, Dúbravska cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, SlovakiaInstitute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy Sciences, Dúbravska cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, SlovakiaHaemosporidians are a group of vector-borne parasites belonging to the order Haemosporida. These parasites infect avian hosts and require blood-sucking insects (Diptera) for transmission. The occurrence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites are shaped primarily by the specificity of the parasite and the susceptibility of the host/vector. In this study, the presence and distribution of haemosporidians in blood samples from birds in urbanized and natural habitats were estimated using microscopic and molecular approaches. Birds in urbanized habitats were infected with four different species of <i>Plasmodium</i>, <i>P. relictum</i>, <i>P</i>. <i>vaughani</i>, <i>P. matutinum</i>, and <i>P. circumflexum</i>, and one species of <i>Haemoproteus</i>, <i>H. parabelopolskyi</i>, and <i>Leucocytozoon</i> sp. The species <i>H. attenuatus</i>, <i>H. concavocentralis</i>, <i>H. minutus</i>, <i>H. pallidus</i>, <i>H. noctuae,</i> and <i>H. tartakovskyi</i> were additionally identified in birds in natural habitats. Typically, juvenile birds are essential markers of parasite species transmitted in the study area. The juveniles in the urbanized habitats carried <i>P</i>. <i>relictum</i>, <i>P</i>. <i>vaughani</i>, <i>P</i>. <i>circumflexum</i>, <i>H</i>. <i>parabelopolskyi</i>, and <i>Leucocytozoon</i> species. The most abundant parasite was <i>H</i>. <i>parabelopolskyi</i>, which was found in both habitat types. The prevalence of <i>Haemoproteus</i>/<i>Plasmodium</i> species determined by nested PCR in birds in natural habitats (43.80%; 53/121) was significantly greater than that in birds in urbanized habitats (21.94%; 43/196) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the infection rate of <i>Leucocytozoon</i> sp. between the habitat types (<i>p</i> > 0.05; 10/121 vs. 19/196).https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/2/121<i>Plasmodium</i><i>Haemoproteus</i><i>Leucocytozoon</i>haemosporidaavian diseasesSlovakia |
| spellingShingle | Lenka Minichová Vladimír Slobodník Roman Slobodník Milan Olekšák Zuzana Hamšíková Ľudovít Škultéty Eva Špitalská Detection of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Wild Birds in Slovakia Diversity <i>Plasmodium</i> <i>Haemoproteus</i> <i>Leucocytozoon</i> haemosporida avian diseases Slovakia |
| title | Detection of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Wild Birds in Slovakia |
| title_full | Detection of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Wild Birds in Slovakia |
| title_fullStr | Detection of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Wild Birds in Slovakia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detection of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Wild Birds in Slovakia |
| title_short | Detection of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Wild Birds in Slovakia |
| title_sort | detection of avian haemosporidian parasites in wild birds in slovakia |
| topic | <i>Plasmodium</i> <i>Haemoproteus</i> <i>Leucocytozoon</i> haemosporida avian diseases Slovakia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/2/121 |
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