Using a combination of morphological and molecular data, we describe a new apicomplexan parasite, Isospora svecica sp. n., from the white-spotted bluethroat, Luscinia svecica cyanecula, from the Czech Republic. Oocysts were found in its intestinal tract. Sporulation was exogenous and took 1-3 days. The oocysts were slightly ellipsoidal, of average size 26.17 × 20.33 μm, with a smooth bilayered wall. Micropyle, oocyst residuum, and polar granules were absent. Sporocysts were bottle-shaped, of an average size of 18.82 × 8.82 μm, with a thin, colourless wall. A conspicuous knob-like Stieda body was present. Substieda body was barely visible. Sporocyst residuum was present in the form of granules of various sizes. Sporozoites were banana-shaped and contained large anterior and small posterior refractile bodies. Partial DNA sequences of three genes were obtained from oocysts of Isospora svecica sp. n., being most closely related to other isosporans described from passerines. Little is known about the parasites of the avian family Muscicapidae, including coccidia, a highly prevalent parasitic protist group in all vertebrate classes. Only six species of the genus Isospora have so far been described in Muscicapidae, together with several "Isospora sp." that in fact most likely represent Isospora lacazei. The newly described Isospora svecica sp. n. differs morphologically from other coccidia reported from muscicapid birds, and represents the first coccidian species described from Luscinia svecica.

• Keywords
• Aves, Coccidia, Isospora, Morphology, Muscicapidae, Phylogeny,
• MeSH
• Isospora classification   cytology   genetics   growth & development   MeSH
• Isosporiasis parasitology   veterinary   MeSH
• Oocysts classification   cytology   genetics   growth & development   MeSH
• Passeriformes parasitology   MeSH
• Genes, Protozoan genetics   MeSH
• Sporozoites classification   cytology   genetics   growth & development   MeSH
• Intestines parasitology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic 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.

• Keywords
• Avian blood parasites, Birds of prey, Haemosporida, Mixed infection, PCR detection, Raptors, Trypanosoma,
• MeSH
• Cytochromes b genetics   MeSH
• Falconiformes parasitology   MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Haemosporida classification   genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Host Specificity MeSH
• Malaria, Avian epidemiology   parasitology   MeSH
• Bird Diseases epidemiology   parasitology   MeSH
• Parasitemia epidemiology   parasitology   veterinary   MeSH
• Plasmodium classification   genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Polymerase Chain Reaction veterinary   MeSH
• Prevalence MeSH
• DNA, Protozoan chemistry   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Protozoan Infections, Animal epidemiology   parasitology   MeSH
• Sequence Alignment veterinary   MeSH
• Trypanosoma classification   genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Trypanosomiasis epidemiology   parasitology   veterinary   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Cytochromes b MeSH
• DNA, Protozoan MeSH