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First molecular study of prevalence and diversity of avian haemosporidia in a Central California songbird community

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Abstract

We studied avian haemosporidian parasites of the genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon in a riparian songbird community in Central California, USA, over a period of 2 years. We sequenced a well-characterized region of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene to identify the prevalence and diversity of these parasites from 399 birds. Of the 39.8 % of birds infected with haemosporidian parasites, most (30.8 %) were infected with Plasmodium. We identified 35 lineages, including 13 from the Plasmodium genus, 12 from Haemoproteus, and 10 from Leucocytozoon, 14 of which were novel lineages. In addition, we provide the first report of haemosporidian infections in 13 host species. Plasmodium prevalence ranged widely among host species from 0.0 to 68.6 %. We identified 2 Plasmodium lineages that were generalists, infecting multiple species across several families. One Plasmodium species, P. homopolare, was found in 84 individual birds representing 9 host species from 5 families, but primarily from Emberizidae. This is the first avian haemosporidian study utilizing molecular methods in California, which increases our understanding of the diversity and prevalence of avian haemosporidia affecting Passeriformes in this region and beyond.

Zusammenfassung

Erste molekulare Studie zu Prävalenz und Diversität von Vogel-Hämosporidien einer Singvogelgemeinschaft in Zentral-Kalifornien

Wir untersuchten zwei Jahre lang Vogel-Hämosporidien der Gattungen Plasmodium, Haemoproteus und Leucocytozoon in einer Auwaldsingvogelgemeinschaft in Zentral-Kalifornien, USA. Mittels Sequenzierung einer gut charakterisierten Region des mitochondrialen Cytochrom-b-Gene haben wir die Prävalenz und Diversität dieser Malariaparasiten von 399 Vögeln ermittelt. Von den 39,8 % mit Hämosporidien infizierten Vögeln waren die meisten (30,8 %) mit Plasmodium befallen. Wir identifizierten 35 Linien, wovon 13 der Gattung Plasmodium angehörten, 12 der Gattung Haemoproteus und 10 der Gattung Leucocytozoon. 14 Linien waren bisher unbekannt. Erstmalig wurden 13 Arten auf ihren Hämosporidienbefall geprüft. Die Prävalenz mit Plasmodium betrug zwischen 0 und 68,6 %. Zwei der Plasmodium Linien waren Generalisten, die mehrere Vögel-Arten bzw. Familien infizierten. Einer dieser Generalisten, P. homopolare, wurde in 84 Individuen von neun Arten aus fünf Familien nachgewiesen, vornehmlich aber Emberizidae. Diese Studie ist die erste, die molekulare Methoden zum Nachweis von Hämosporidien in Vögeln in Kalifornien verwendete. Diese Ergebnisse erweitern unsere Kenntnis zu Diversität und Prävalenz von Vogel-Hämosporidiena bei Passeriformes in der Region und darüber hinaus.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the San Francisco State University Arthur Nelson Scholarship and the San Francisco State University Instructionally Related Activities Grant. The authors wish to thank the County of Fresno and the Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District for access to the field site and the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension (KARE) Center in Parlier, California, for providing lodging. We thank Annette Chan (SFSU staff) for microscopy assistance, Greg Spicer and Andrea Swei (SFSU faculty) for phylogenetics and R statistical software expertise, respectively; Elvin Lauron for laboratory assistance; and, Tija Altergott, Holly Archer, Doug Bell, Molly Dodge, Sierra Flynn, Ariana LaPorte, Leonard Liu, Claire Loiseau, Tim Marzec, Allison Nelson, Katherine Purcell, Elaine Vo and Laura Wilkinson for assistance with data collection in the field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA

    Erika L. Walther, Brett K. Morris & Ravinder N. M. Sehgal

  2. Mosquito Research Control Laboratory, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, 9240 S. Riverbend Avenue, Parlier, CA, 93648, USA

    Jenny S. Carlson & Anthony Cornel

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  1. Erika L. Walther
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  2. Jenny S. Carlson
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  3. Anthony Cornel
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  4. Brett K. Morris
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  5. Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
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Correspondence to Erika L. Walther.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution or practice at which the studies were conducted. The bird sampling methodology was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and was performed under permits supplied by the United States Geological Survey Bird Banding Laboratory and a Scientific Collecting Permit issued by the California Natural Resources Agency, Department of Fish and Game.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Communicated by K. C. Klasing.

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Walther, E.L., Carlson, J.S., Cornel, A. et al. First molecular study of prevalence and diversity of avian haemosporidia in a Central California songbird community. J Ornithol 157, 549–564 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-015-1301-7

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