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Plasmodium delichoni n. sp.: description, molecular characterisation and remarks on the exoerythrocytic merogony, persistence, vectors and transmission

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Abstract

Malaria parasite Plasmodium (Novyella) delichoni n. sp. (Haemosporida, Plasmodiidae) was found in a widespread Eurasian songbird, the common house martin Delichon urbicum (Hirundinidae). It is described based on the morphology of its blood stages and segments of the mitochondrial cytochrome b and apicoplast genes, which can be used for molecular identification of this species. Erythrocytic meronts and gametocytes are strictly nucleophilic, and mature gametocytes possess pigment granules of markedly variable size, including large ones (1 μm in length). Due to these features, P. delichoni can be readily distinguished from all described species of avian malaria parasites belonging to subgenus Novyella. Additionally, mature erythrocytic merozoites contain a dense clump of chromatin, a rare character in avian malaria parasites. Erythrocytic merogony is asynchronous. Illustrations of blood stages of the new species are given, and phylogenetic analysis identifies DNA lineages closely related to this parasite. Domestic canary Serinus canaria and Eurasian siskin Carduelis spinus were infected after subinoculation of infected blood obtained from the house martin. Parasitemia was long lasting in both these hosts, but it was high (up to 70 %) in Eurasian siskins and low (up to 1 %) in canaries. Mortality was not observed, and histological examination and chromogenic in situ hybridisation did not reveal secondary exoerythrocytic meronts (phanerozoites) in the exposed birds. It is likely that persistence of this infection occurs due to long-lasting parasitemia in avian hosts. Sporogony was abortive in mosquitoes Culex pipiens pipiens form molestus, Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti at gametogenesis or ookinete stages. The new species is absent from juvenile birds at breeding sites in Europe, indicating that transmission occurs at African wintering grounds.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Roland Kuhn, Ana Rivero and Hilary Ranson for providing samples of the Cu. p. pipiens f. molestus, Cu. quinquefasciatus and A. aegypti mosquitoes, respectively. This study was funded by the Research Council of Lithuania (no. MIP-045/2015) and also supported by the Open Access to research infrastructure of the Nature Research Centre under the Lithuanian open access network initiative.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, LT-08412, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Gediminas Valkiūnas, Mikas Ilgūnas, Dovilė Bukauskaitė, Rita Žiegytė, Rasa Bernotienė & Tatjana A. Iezhova

  2. Ventės Ragas Ornithological Station, LT-99361, Kintai, Lithuania

    Vytautas Jusys & Vytautas Eigirdas

  3. Institute of Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria

    Karin Fragner & Herbert Weissenböck

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  1. Gediminas Valkiūnas
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  2. Mikas Ilgūnas
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Correspondence to Gediminas Valkiūnas.

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Valkiūnas, G., Ilgūnas, M., Bukauskaitė, D. et al. Plasmodium delichoni n. sp.: description, molecular characterisation and remarks on the exoerythrocytic merogony, persistence, vectors and transmission. Parasitol Res 115, 2625–2636 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-016-5009-2

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