Avian haemosporidian parasites (Apicomplexa, Haemosporida) are widespread pathogens that cause malaria (Plasmodium spp.) and other haemosporidioses (Haemoproteus spp. and Leucocytozoon spp.) in birds. The Special Protection Area Durankulak Lake (SPA DL) is a coastal lake in northeast Bulgaria, part of the Natura 2000 network that was declared as important area for wintering, breeding and migratory birds. Despite a number of conservation efforts outlined for the SPAs of Natura 2000 network, the potential threats and influences of haemosporidians and other parasites on occurring birds were not considered. In the present study, we aim to investigate the richness of haemosporidian parasites in birds captured in the protected area and to report the parasite species/DNA lineages that undergo local transmission in the region. We used both microscopic examination and PCR-based methods to diagnose haemosporidian infections in juvenile (captured in the year of hatching) and adult birds. The overall prevalence of haemosporidian parasites was significantly higher in the adult birds compared to juveniles. We identified five out of 21 recorded cytochrome b (cyt b) parasite lineages that are locally transmitted in the SPA DL (one of the genus Haemoproteus Kruse, 1890 and four of genus Plasmodium Marchiafava and Celli, 1885): cyt b lineages hRW2 of Haemoproteus belopolskyi, pSGS1 of Plasmodium relictum, pCOLL1, pYWT4 and pPADOM01 of Plasmodium (Haemamoeba) spp. It is likely that the majority of the parasites with local transmission are widespread host generalists and that host exchange is rather frequent among the birds inhabiting SPA DL.

• MeSH
• cytochromy b genetika   MeSH
• Haemosporida klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• malárie ptačí epidemiologie   parazitologie   přenos   MeSH
• nemoci ptáků epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• Plasmodium genetika   MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce veterinární   MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• protozoální DNA genetika   MeSH
• ptáci parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Bulharsko epidemiologie   MeSH

We present the first survey on prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus in a poorly studied migratory passerine, the semi-collared flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata). In total, 110 individuals were sampled during two breeding seasons in Eastern Bulgaria. We collected both blood samples for PCR identification and blood films for microscopic identification of haemosporidians. We found six distinctive parasite cyt b lineages present in the blood of the semi-collared flycatcher (three Haemoproteus and three Plasmodium). Two of the lineages, i.e. pWW3 of Plasmodium sp. and hCCF2 of Haemoproteus sp., are recorded for the first time in the family Muscicapidae. The overall prevalence ranged between 12.2 and 15.9% and we did not find co-infections. We hypothesize that the low prevalence of haemosporidians in this species might be linked to its small population size and relatively restricted geographical range.

• MeSH
• cytochromy b krev   MeSH
• Haemosporida klasifikace   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• nemoci ptáků epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• Plasmodium klasifikace   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• protozoální infekce epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• zpěvní ptáci parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Balkánský poloostrov epidemiologie   MeSH

Sedentary bird species are suitable model hosts for identifying potential vectors of avian blood parasites. We studied haemosporidian infections in the Tengmalm's Owl (Aegolius funereus) in the Ore Mountains of the Czech Republic using molecular detection methods. Sex of owl nestlings was scored using molecular sexing based on fragment analysis of PCR-amplified CHD1 introns. Observed infection prevalences in nestlings and adult owls were 51 and 86 %, respectively. Five parasite lineages were detected. Most of the infections comprised the Leucocytozoon AEFUN02 and STOCC06 lineages that probably refer to distinct Leucocytozoon species. Other lineages were detected only sporadically. Mixed infections were found in 49 % of samples. The main factor affecting the probability of infection was host age. No effect of individual sex on infection probability was evidenced. The youngest infected nestling was 12 days old. High parasite prevalence in the Tengmalm's Owl nestlings suggests that insect vectors must enter nest boxes to transmit parasites before fledging. Hence, we placed sticky insect traps into modified nest boxes, collected potential insect vectors, and examined them for the presence of haemosporidian parasites using molecular detection. We trapped 201 insects which were determined as biting midges from the Culicoides genus and two black fly species, Simulium (Nevermannia) vernum and Simulium (Eusimulium) angustipes. Six haemosporidian lineages were detected in the potential insect vectors, among which the Leucocytozoon lineage BT2 was common to the Tengmalm's Owl and the trapped insects. However, we have not detected the most frequently encountered Tengmalm's Owl Leucocytozoon lineages AEFUN02 and STOCC06 in insects.

• MeSH
• Ceratopogonidae parazitologie   MeSH
• Haemosporida genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• hmyz - vektory parazitologie   MeSH
• nemoci ptáků epidemiologie   parazitologie   přenos   MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• protozoální infekce zvířat epidemiologie   parazitologie   přenos   MeSH
• sexuální faktory MeSH
• Simuliidae parazitologie   MeSH
• Stringiformes parazitologie   MeSH
• věkové faktory MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

Haemosporidians and trypanosomes of the northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) population in the Czech Republic were studied by morphological and molecular methods. Despite the wide distribution of these medium-large birds of prey, virtually nothing is known about their blood parasites. During a 5-year period, altogether 88 nestlings and 15 adults were screened for haemosporidians and trypanosomes by microscopic examination of blood smears and by nested PCR. Both methods revealed consistently higher prevalence of blood protists in adults, Leucocytozoon (80.0 % in adults vs. 13.6 % in nestlings), Haemoproteus (60.0 vs. 2.3 %), Plasmodium (6.7 vs. 0 %), and Trypanosoma (60.0 vs. 2.3 %). Altogether, five haemosporidian lineages were detected by cytochrome b sequencing. Two broadly distributed and host nonspecific lineages, Plasmodium (TURDUS1) and Leucocytozoon (BT2), were detected only sporadically, while three newly described northern goshawk host-specific Leucocytozoon lineages (ACGE01-03) represent the absolute majority of the haemosporidians identified by molecular methods. Our findings support evidences that in falconiform birds the Leucocytozoon toddi group is formed by several host-specific clusters, with Leucocytozoon buteonis in buzzards and Leucocytozoon mathisi in hawks. Between-year comparisons revealed that the infection status of adults remained predominantly unchanged and individuals stayed uninfected or possessed the same parasite lineages; however, two gains and one loss of blood parasite taxa were also recorded.

• MeSH
• cytochromy b genetika   MeSH
• Falconiformes parazitologie   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• Haemosporida klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• hostitelská specificita MeSH
• malárie ptačí epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• nemoci ptáků epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• parazitemie epidemiologie   parazitologie   veterinární   MeSH
• Plasmodium klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce veterinární   MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• protozoální DNA chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• protozoální infekce zvířat epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• sekvenční seřazení veterinární   MeSH
• Trypanosoma klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• trypanozomiáza epidemiologie   parazitologie   veterinární   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

The prevalences of heteroxenous parasites are influenced by the interplay of three main actors: hosts, vectors, and the parasites themselves. We studied blood protists in the nesting populations of raptors in two different areas of the Czech Republic. Altogether, 788 nestlings and 258 adult Eurasian sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) and 321 nestlings and 86 adult common buzzards (Buteo buteo) were screened for parasites by the microscopic examination of blood smears and by cultivation. We examined the role of shared vectors and parasite phylogenetic relationships on the occurrence of parasites. In different years and hosts, trypanosome prevalence ranged between 1.9 and 87.2 %, that of Leucocytozoon between 1.9 and 100 %, and Haemoproteus between 0 and 72.7 %. Coinfections with Leucocytozoon and Trypanosoma, phylogenetically distant parasites but both transmitted by blackflies (Simuliidae), were more frequent than coinfections with Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus, phylogenetically closely related parasites transmitted by different vectors (blackflies and biting midges (Ceratopogonidae), respectively). For example, 16.6 % buzzard nestlings were coinfected with Trypanosoma and Leucocytozoon, while only 4.8 % with Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus and 0.3 % with Trypanosoma and Haemoproteus. Nestlings in the same nest tended to have the same infection status. Furthermore, prevalence increased with the age of nestlings and with Julian date, while brood size had only a weak negative/positive effect on prevalence at the individual/brood level. Prevalences in a particular avian host species also varied between study sites and years. All these factors should thus be considered while comparing prevalences from different studies, the impact of vectors being the most important. We conclude that phylogenetically unrelated parasites that share the same vectors tend to have similar distributions within the host populations of two different raptor species.

• MeSH
• dravci parazitologie   MeSH
• Falconiformes parazitologie   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• Haemosporida klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   fyziologie   MeSH
• hmyz - vektory parazitologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• hostitelská specificita MeSH
• nemoci ptáků epidemiologie   parazitologie   přenos   MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• protozoální infekce zvířat epidemiologie   parazitologie   přenos   MeSH
• ptáci parazitologie   MeSH
• Simuliidae parazitologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• Trypanosoma klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

The rock agama, Laudakia caucasia Eichwald (Agamidae) is host to Plasmodium caucasica sp. n. and Saurocytozoon agamidorum sp. n. in western Pakistan. Plasmodium caucasica is characterized by very large meronts, 11-21 by 8-17 microm that produce 32-67 merozoites, which nearly fill the host erythrocyte, and smaller, ovoid to elongate gametocytes, 6-14 by 2.5-6 microm, with length by width (LW) 21-55 microm2, and L/W ratio 1.0-4.0. Host cells are usually mature erythrocytes. In Azerbaijan, P. caucasica parasitizes immature erythroid cells. Dimensions of meronts are 10-16 by 6-12 microm, and merozoite numbers are 12-44. Gametocytes are 6-14 by 3-6 microm, with LW 31-56 microm2, and L/W ratio 1.0-4.0. Saurocytozoon agamidorum sp. n. gametocytes are 6.5-13 microm in diameter, with LW 35-79 microm2, and L/W ratio 1.0-2.2. They occupy lymphocytes as host cells, which are greatly distorted by gametocyte presence and often show nuclei nearly divided into two portions, one portion at each end of the cell. Haemocystidium grahami (Shortt, 1922), redescribed from material found in L. caucasia from Azerbaijan, has rounded to elongate gametocytes, 8-19.5 by 4-8 microm, LW 60.5-102 microm2, and L/W ratio 1.0-4.5. The prominent light golden pigment granules often coalesce to nearly cover the surface of the gametocyte. The presence of P. caucasica and S. agamidorum extends the range of the two genera in saurian hosts throughout much of the southern Asia mainland.

• MeSH
• Haemosporida izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• ještěři parazitologie   MeSH
• protozoální infekce zvířat epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Asie MeSH

The degree to which avian haemosporidian parasites can exploit different vectors as a definitive host has ecological implications for their transmission and biogeography. Studies targeting haemosporidian parasites using precise molecular detection methods are almost lacking in Central Europe, however. Here, we utilized PCR-based molecular methods to detect avian haemosporidians in insect vectors in the Czech Republic. Nine lineages of parasites belonging to three genera, Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon, were detected in pooled samples of insect individuals, of which three lineages had not yet been discovered in previous studies. All three Leucocytozoon lineages were found exclusively in black flies, while five Haemoproteus lineages were found in biting midges. The most abundant insect species Culicoides kibunensis harbored three Haemoproteus lineages, and the second-most numerous species Culicoides segnis even four. The positive mosquitoes of Culex pipiens complex hosted two parasite lineages, one Plasmodium and one Haemoproteus, the latter of which, however, could suggest the aberrant development of this parasite in an unusual invertebrate host. The co-occurrence of Haemoproteus ROFI1 and TURDUS2 lineages in both insects and birds at the same study plot suggests a transmission of these lineages during breeding season of birds.

• MeSH
• Ceratopogonidae parazitologie   MeSH
• Culex parazitologie   MeSH
• Haemosporida klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• hmyz MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• protozoální DNA genetika   MeSH
• ptáci parazitologie   MeSH
• Simuliidae parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

We studied haemosporidian parasites in the scarlet rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus in a small isolated semicolony during an eight-year period using molecular methods of parasite detection. The scarlet rosefinch is an interesting model of parasite host species. It winters in South Asia which represents a rare exception among European passerines. Males express yellow to red carotenoid-based plumage ornament which is a good predictor of male reproductive success. In 240 blood samples originating from 199 adult individuals, the total parasite prevalence reached 60%. Prevalence varied among years from 36 to 81% in Haemoproteus, 8 to 22% in Plasmodium, and 0 to 14% in Leucocytozoon. Twenty parasite lineages were detected (Haemoproteus: 5 lineages, Plasmodium: 10 lineages, and Leucocytozoon: 5 lineages). Among them, the Haemoproteus ROFI2 lineage, which is a host-specific parasite lineage of the scarlet rosefinch, was the most frequently found. Parasite lineages showed varying degree of lineage specificity. While Haemoproteus lineages detected in the scarlet rosefinch have relatively narrow host breadth restricted mainly to Fringillidae family, Leucocytozoon and Plasmodium lineages generally showed wider host range. The presence of some parasite lineages hitherto detected in sedentary European passerines (SISKIN1, CCF3, BT2) or in Culicoides biting midges at the same locality (ROFI1) suggest local transmission. On the contrary, lineages LK05 and FANTAIL1 that were previously reported exclusively from Asian hosts imply parasite transmission at the scarlet rosefinch wintering sites in South Asia. Mixed infections were found in 17% of infected samples and comprised mainly the most frequent lineages. The pattern of concomitant infections seemed to be rather random and matched expected levels based on lineage frequencies. Between-year comparisons revealed that in a majority of the repeatedly captured individual hosts the infection status remained unchanged (individuals stayed uninfected or possessed the same parasite lineages). However, 16 gains and 8 losses of lineages were also reported. We have not found any effect of haemosporidians on male carotenoid ornament expression or host body mass.

• MeSH
• Haemosporida izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• koinfekce epidemiologie   parazitologie   veterinární   MeSH
• krev parazitologie   MeSH
• nemoci ptáků epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• Passeriformes MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• protozoální infekce zvířat epidemiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Asie MeSH
• Evropa MeSH