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Genetic diversity of avian blood parasites in SE Europe: Cytochrome b lineages of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus (Haemosporida) from Bulgaria

Dimitrov, Dimitar ; Zehtindjiev, Pavel and Bensch, Staffan LU (2010) In Acta Parasitologica 55(3). p.201-209
Abstract
We used a nested PCR protocol to examine the genetic diversity of cytochrome b (cyt b) lineages from blood parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus in birds in Bulgaria. In total, 460 birds of 43 species and 14 families (mostly passerines) were examined for the presence of infections. Of them, 267 were recognised as infected with haemosporidian parasites. Mixed infections were recorded in 24 individuals (9%). Besides the 24 individuals with mix infections, 114 (43%) were positive for Plasmodium spp. and 129 (48%) for Haemoproteus spp. We identified 52 genetic lineages of haemosporidian parasites: 38 of Haemoproteus and 14 of Plasmodium. Twelve new cyt b lineages of Haemoproteus were recorded; they occurred in the following... (More)
We used a nested PCR protocol to examine the genetic diversity of cytochrome b (cyt b) lineages from blood parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus in birds in Bulgaria. In total, 460 birds of 43 species and 14 families (mostly passerines) were examined for the presence of infections. Of them, 267 were recognised as infected with haemosporidian parasites. Mixed infections were recorded in 24 individuals (9%). Besides the 24 individuals with mix infections, 114 (43%) were positive for Plasmodium spp. and 129 (48%) for Haemoproteus spp. We identified 52 genetic lineages of haemosporidian parasites: 38 of Haemoproteus and 14 of Plasmodium. Twelve new cyt b lineages of Haemoproteus were recorded; they occurred in the following hosts: grey-faced woodpecker (Picus canus), golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus), jay (Garrulus glandarius), barred warbler (Sylvia nisoria), song thrush (Turdus philomelos), spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata), spanish sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis), hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes), and cirl bunting (Emberiza cirlus). We also detected 22 new host records for previously known lineages. The most common lineage was SGS1 (Plasmodium relictum), which had a total prevalence of 14% and occurred in 8 host species belonging to 5 families. Three of the cyt b lineages of genus Haemoproteus (DURB1, DURB2 and SYNIS2) showed more than 5% divergence from all described morphologically lineages. These lineages probably represent at least 2 different morphospecies which remains to be identified. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, Cytochrome b lineages, specificity
in
Acta Parasitologica
volume
55
issue
3
pages
201 - 209
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000280881600001
  • scopus:77955713416
ISSN
1230-2821
DOI
10.2478/s11686-010-0029-z
project
Malaria in birds
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
69d93767-a783-4b52-bd0c-bfc2b63178ca (old id 1677221)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:48:44
date last changed
2022-01-28 02:36:54
@article{69d93767-a783-4b52-bd0c-bfc2b63178ca,
  abstract     = {{We used a nested PCR protocol to examine the genetic diversity of cytochrome b (cyt b) lineages from blood parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus in birds in Bulgaria. In total, 460 birds of 43 species and 14 families (mostly passerines) were examined for the presence of infections. Of them, 267 were recognised as infected with haemosporidian parasites. Mixed infections were recorded in 24 individuals (9%). Besides the 24 individuals with mix infections, 114 (43%) were positive for Plasmodium spp. and 129 (48%) for Haemoproteus spp. We identified 52 genetic lineages of haemosporidian parasites: 38 of Haemoproteus and 14 of Plasmodium. Twelve new cyt b lineages of Haemoproteus were recorded; they occurred in the following hosts: grey-faced woodpecker (Picus canus), golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus), jay (Garrulus glandarius), barred warbler (Sylvia nisoria), song thrush (Turdus philomelos), spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata), spanish sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis), hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes), and cirl bunting (Emberiza cirlus). We also detected 22 new host records for previously known lineages. The most common lineage was SGS1 (Plasmodium relictum), which had a total prevalence of 14% and occurred in 8 host species belonging to 5 families. Three of the cyt b lineages of genus Haemoproteus (DURB1, DURB2 and SYNIS2) showed more than 5% divergence from all described morphologically lineages. These lineages probably represent at least 2 different morphospecies which remains to be identified.}},
  author       = {{Dimitrov, Dimitar and Zehtindjiev, Pavel and Bensch, Staffan}},
  issn         = {{1230-2821}},
  keywords     = {{Plasmodium; Haemoproteus; Cytochrome b lineages; specificity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{201--209}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Acta Parasitologica}},
  title        = {{Genetic diversity of avian blood parasites in SE Europe: Cytochrome b lineages of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus (Haemosporida) from Bulgaria}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/s11686-010-0029-z}},
  doi          = {{10.2478/s11686-010-0029-z}},
  volume       = {{55}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}