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Plasmodium relictum (lineage P-SGS1): Effects on experimentally infected passerine birds

Palinauskas, Vaidas ; Valkiunas, Gedimi Nas ; Bolshakov, Casimir V. and Bensch, Staffan LU (2008) In Experimental Parasitology 120(4). p.372-380
Abstract
We evaluated the effects of Plasmodium relictum (lineage P-SGS1), which is a host generalist, to five species of passerine birds. Light infection of P. relictum was isolated from a naturally infected adult reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus. The parasites were inoculated to naive juveniles of the chaffinch Fringilla coelebs, common crossbill Loxia curvirostra, house sparrow Passer domesticus. siskin Spinus spinus and starling Sturnus vulgaris. Susceptibility of these birds to the infection of P. relictum was markedly different. This parasite developed in birds belonging to the Fringillidae and Passeridae but the starlings (Sturnidae) were resistant. Only 50% of experimental house sparrows were susceptible to the infection. The intensity... (More)
We evaluated the effects of Plasmodium relictum (lineage P-SGS1), which is a host generalist, to five species of passerine birds. Light infection of P. relictum was isolated from a naturally infected adult reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus. The parasites were inoculated to naive juveniles of the chaffinch Fringilla coelebs, common crossbill Loxia curvirostra, house sparrow Passer domesticus. siskin Spinus spinus and starling Sturnus vulgaris. Susceptibility of these birds to the infection of P. relictum was markedly different. This parasite developed in birds belonging to the Fringillidae and Passeridae but the starlings (Sturnidae) were resistant. Only 50% of experimental house sparrows were susceptible to the infection. The intensity of parasitemia varied markedly inside and between different susceptible bird species. There were no effects of the infection on body mass or temperature of experimentally infected birds. Infection of P. relictum leads to the significant decrease of haematocrit value and hypertrophy of spleen and liver in heavily infected common crossbills and siskins. This study shows that infection of the same lineage of P. relictum causes diseases of different severity in different avian hosts: that might have different evolutionary consequences and should be taken in consideration in conservation projects. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Avian malaria, Parasitemia, Susceptibility, Passerine birds, infection, Lineage P-SGS1, Experimental, Pathogenicity, Plasmodium relictum
in
Experimental Parasitology
volume
120
issue
4
pages
372 - 380
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000261398500012
  • scopus:55049118680
ISSN
0014-4894
DOI
10.1016/j.exppara.2008.09.001
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
db3becf7-d1fd-4f42-847c-57bbd8d6f74b (old id 1305644)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:33:42
date last changed
2022-04-21 17:06:09
@article{db3becf7-d1fd-4f42-847c-57bbd8d6f74b,
  abstract     = {{We evaluated the effects of Plasmodium relictum (lineage P-SGS1), which is a host generalist, to five species of passerine birds. Light infection of P. relictum was isolated from a naturally infected adult reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus. The parasites were inoculated to naive juveniles of the chaffinch Fringilla coelebs, common crossbill Loxia curvirostra, house sparrow Passer domesticus. siskin Spinus spinus and starling Sturnus vulgaris. Susceptibility of these birds to the infection of P. relictum was markedly different. This parasite developed in birds belonging to the Fringillidae and Passeridae but the starlings (Sturnidae) were resistant. Only 50% of experimental house sparrows were susceptible to the infection. The intensity of parasitemia varied markedly inside and between different susceptible bird species. There were no effects of the infection on body mass or temperature of experimentally infected birds. Infection of P. relictum leads to the significant decrease of haematocrit value and hypertrophy of spleen and liver in heavily infected common crossbills and siskins. This study shows that infection of the same lineage of P. relictum causes diseases of different severity in different avian hosts: that might have different evolutionary consequences and should be taken in consideration in conservation projects. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Palinauskas, Vaidas and Valkiunas, Gedimi Nas and Bolshakov, Casimir V. and Bensch, Staffan}},
  issn         = {{0014-4894}},
  keywords     = {{Avian malaria; Parasitemia; Susceptibility; Passerine birds; infection; Lineage P-SGS1; Experimental; Pathogenicity; Plasmodium relictum}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{372--380}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Experimental Parasitology}},
  title        = {{Plasmodium relictum (lineage P-SGS1): Effects on experimentally infected passerine birds}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.exppara.2008.09.001}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.exppara.2008.09.001}},
  volume       = {{120}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}