Abstract
Malaria parasites are common in wild vertebrates on all warm continents and have recently been isolated from wild apes by non-invasive fecal sampling. Here, we examined the utility of fecal samples for malaria parasite detection in wild birds. We collected both blood and fecal samples from 56 birds sampled in the field, extracted DNA from all samples using various methods, and screened all samples using sensitive PCR-based methods. We found 35 birds to be positive for malaria parasite infection (genera Plasmodium and Parahaemoproteus) using blood samples while no fecal samples revealed a positive infection. These results suggest that malaria parasites cannot be efficiently detected from fecal samples of birds and that blood sampling is still necessary for the study of the malaria parasites of wild bird populations.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Fleischer RC, Kirchman JJ, Dumbacher JP, Bevier L, Dove C, Rotzel NC, Edwards SV, Lammertink M, Miglia K, Moore WS (2006) Mid-Pleistocene divergence of Cuban and North American ivory-billed woodpeckers. Biol Lett 2:466–469
Garnham PCC (1966) Malaria parasites and other haemosporidia. Blackwell Scientific Publications, England
Jirků M, Pomajbíková K, Petrželková KJ, Hůzová Z, Modrý D, Lukeš J (2012) Detection of Plasmodium spp. in human feces. Emerg Infect Dis 18:634–636
Kaiser M, Lowa A, Ulrich M, Ellerbrok H, Goffe AS, Blasse A, Zommers Z, Couacy-Hymann E, Babweteera F, Zuberbuhler K, Metzger S, Geidel S, Metzger S, Geidel S, Boesch C, Gillespie TR, Leendertz FH (2010) Wild chimpanzees infected with 5 Plasmodium species. Emerg Infect Dis 12:1956–1959
Liu W, Li Y, Learn GH, Rudicell RS, Robertson JD, Keele BF, Ndjango JB, Sanz CM, Morgan DB, Locatelli S, Gonder MK, Kranzusch PJ, Walsh PD, Delaporte E, Mpoudi-Ngole E, Georgiev AV, Muller MN, Shaw GM, Peeters M, Sharp PM, Rayner JC, Hahn BH (2010) Origin of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum in gorillas. Nature 467:420–425
Martinsen ES, Paperna I, Schall JJ (2006) Morphological versus molecular identification of avian Haemosporidia: an exploration of three species concepts. Parasitology 133:279–288
Martinsen ES, Perkins SL, Schall JJ (2008) A three-genome phylogeny of malaria parasites (Plasmodium and closely related genera): evolution of life-history traits and host switches. Mol Phylogenet Evol 47:261–273
Prugnolle F, Durand P, Ollomo B, Duval L, Ariey F, Arnathau C, Gonzalez JP, Leroy E, Renaud F (2011) A fresh look at the origin of Plasmodium falciparum, the most malignant malaria agent. PLoS Pathog 7(2):e1001283
Acknowledgments
We thank Nancy Rotzel McInerney for logistical support. The work was funded by Grants from the National Science Foundation to E. S. Martinsen (NSF 0905964), and the Morris Animal Foundation to R. C. Fleischer and E.S. Martinsen.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Martinsen, E.S., Brightman, H. & Fleischer, R.C. Fecal samples fail in PCR-based diagnosis of malaria parasite infection in birds. Conservation Genet Resour 7, 15–17 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-014-0297-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-014-0297-2