Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Southern Iran
Avian haemosporidians are widespread and diverse and are classified in the genera <i>Plasmodium</i>, <i>Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon</i>, and <i>Fallisia</i>. These species are known to cause haemosporidiosis and decreased fitness of their hosts. Despite the high d...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-05-01
|
| Series: | Pathogens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/6/645 |
| _version_ | 1797532973234388992 |
|---|---|
| author | Vajiheh Ghaemitalab Omid Mirshamsi Gediminas Valkiūnas Mansour Aliabadian |
| author_facet | Vajiheh Ghaemitalab Omid Mirshamsi Gediminas Valkiūnas Mansour Aliabadian |
| author_sort | Vajiheh Ghaemitalab |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Avian haemosporidians are widespread and diverse and are classified in the genera <i>Plasmodium</i>, <i>Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon</i>, and <i>Fallisia</i>. These species are known to cause haemosporidiosis and decreased fitness of their hosts. Despite the high diversity of habitats and animal species in Iran, only few studies have addressed avian haemosporidians in this geographic area. This study was performed in the south and southeast of Iran during the bird breeding seasons in 2017 and 2018, with the aim to partly fill in this gap. Blood samples of 237 passerine birds belonging to 41 species and 20 families were collected. Parasite infections were identified using a nested PCR protocol targeting a 479-base-pair fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome <i>b</i> (<i>cytb</i>) gene of <i>Haemoproteus</i>, <i>Plasmodium</i> and <i>Leucocytozoon</i> species. The overall prevalence of haemosporidian parasites was 51.1%, and 55 different lineages were identified, of which 15 <i>cytb</i> lineages were new globally. The lineages of <i>Haemoproteus</i> predominated (63.6% of all detected lineages), followed by <i>Leucocytozoon</i> and <i>Plasmodium</i>. Nineteen new host records of haemosporidian <i>cytb</i> lineages were identified, and the majority of them were found in resident bird species, indicating local transmission. Thirteen co-infections (9.8% of infected individuals) of <i>Haemoproteus</i> and <i>Leucocytozoon</i> parasites in seven host species were observed. This study shows the presence of active local transmission of parasites to resident bird species in the southeast of Iran and contributes to the knowledge on haemosporidian parasite biodiversity in this poorly studied region of the world. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:07:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0df4c08137324cb887b13f46981f7505 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:07:02Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-0df4c08137324cb887b13f46981f75052023-11-21T21:00:54ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172021-05-0110664510.3390/pathogens10060645Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Southern IranVajiheh Ghaemitalab0Omid Mirshamsi1Gediminas Valkiūnas2Mansour Aliabadian3Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 9177948974, IranDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 9177948974, IranNature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412 Vilnius, LithuaniaDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 9177948974, IranAvian haemosporidians are widespread and diverse and are classified in the genera <i>Plasmodium</i>, <i>Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon</i>, and <i>Fallisia</i>. These species are known to cause haemosporidiosis and decreased fitness of their hosts. Despite the high diversity of habitats and animal species in Iran, only few studies have addressed avian haemosporidians in this geographic area. This study was performed in the south and southeast of Iran during the bird breeding seasons in 2017 and 2018, with the aim to partly fill in this gap. Blood samples of 237 passerine birds belonging to 41 species and 20 families were collected. Parasite infections were identified using a nested PCR protocol targeting a 479-base-pair fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome <i>b</i> (<i>cytb</i>) gene of <i>Haemoproteus</i>, <i>Plasmodium</i> and <i>Leucocytozoon</i> species. The overall prevalence of haemosporidian parasites was 51.1%, and 55 different lineages were identified, of which 15 <i>cytb</i> lineages were new globally. The lineages of <i>Haemoproteus</i> predominated (63.6% of all detected lineages), followed by <i>Leucocytozoon</i> and <i>Plasmodium</i>. Nineteen new host records of haemosporidian <i>cytb</i> lineages were identified, and the majority of them were found in resident bird species, indicating local transmission. Thirteen co-infections (9.8% of infected individuals) of <i>Haemoproteus</i> and <i>Leucocytozoon</i> parasites in seven host species were observed. This study shows the presence of active local transmission of parasites to resident bird species in the southeast of Iran and contributes to the knowledge on haemosporidian parasite biodiversity in this poorly studied region of the world.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/6/645birdshaemosporidian parasites<i>Plasmodium</i><i>Haemoproteus</i><i>Leucocytozoon</i>Iran |
| spellingShingle | Vajiheh Ghaemitalab Omid Mirshamsi Gediminas Valkiūnas Mansour Aliabadian Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Southern Iran Pathogens birds haemosporidian parasites <i>Plasmodium</i> <i>Haemoproteus</i> <i>Leucocytozoon</i> Iran |
| title | Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Southern Iran |
| title_full | Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Southern Iran |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Southern Iran |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Southern Iran |
| title_short | Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Avian Haemosporidian Parasites in Southern Iran |
| title_sort | prevalence and genetic diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites in southern iran |
| topic | birds haemosporidian parasites <i>Plasmodium</i> <i>Haemoproteus</i> <i>Leucocytozoon</i> Iran |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/6/645 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vajihehghaemitalab prevalenceandgeneticdiversityofavianhaemosporidianparasitesinsoutherniran AT omidmirshamsi prevalenceandgeneticdiversityofavianhaemosporidianparasitesinsoutherniran AT gediminasvalkiunas prevalenceandgeneticdiversityofavianhaemosporidianparasitesinsoutherniran AT mansouraliabadian prevalenceandgeneticdiversityofavianhaemosporidianparasitesinsoutherniran |