Article
Plant Sciences
Min Zhang, Yi-Wei Tang, Ying Xu, Takahiro Yonezawa, Yang Shao, Yu-Guo Wang, Zhi-Ping Song, Ji Yang, Wen-Ju Zhang
Summary: A high level of rDNA polymorphism exists universally in the genus Camellia, with functional rDNA being relatively conserved. Sequence variations mainly come from rRNA pseudogenes and GC-rich regions in the genome, indicating a mixture of concerted and birth-and-death evolution in Camellia.
Article
Microbiology
Vajiheh Ghaemitalab, Omid Mirshamsi, Gediminas Valkiunas, Mansour Aliabadian
Summary: This study in South and Southeast Iran during the bird breeding seasons of 2017 and 2018 found that avian haemosporidians, including Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon, were prevalent with Haemoproteus lineages being the most common. The study also identified 19 new host records and 13 co-infections of Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon parasites, indicating active local transmission in resident bird species.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jessica Jimenez-Penuela, Martina Ferraguti, Josue Martinez-de la Puente, Ramon C. Soriguer, Jordi Figuerola
Summary: This study monitored the infection status of bird blood parasites in different regions of southern Spain, revealing different infection patterns possibly related to the composition and density of vector communities. The specific reproductive environmental requirements of different vector groups involved in transmission may be affected by climatic conditions and landscape features.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Sandrine Musa
Summary: By developing a sensitive nested PCR assay, researchers successfully amplified the complete mitochondrial genomes of haemosporidian parasites in birds. This provides valuable data for conducting phylogenetic analyses and accurately defining species, as well as discovering multiple new haemosporidian parasite species.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Michael Coeurdassier, Nicolas Bassin, Thibaut Powolny, Christophe Morin, Eve Afonso
Summary: Research found that in breeding areas of Red Kites in France, nestlings have a prevalence of 28% for Leucocytozoon and Plasmodium infections. While no relationship was found between nestlings' body condition and parasite occurrence, the impact of blood pathogens on adult birds, a critical stage for the population dynamic of Red Kites, remains poorly understood and should be further investigated.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ingrid Astrid Lotta-Arevalo, Angie Daniela Gonzalez, Brayan Andres Gamboa-Suarez, M. Andreina Pacheco, Ananias A. Escalante, Carlos Moreno, Oscar Rodriguez-Fandino, Andres Cuervo, Nubia E. Matta
Summary: This paper aims to characterize the haemosporidians that infect non-passerine birds from Colombia by analyzing samples from different biomes and animal care facilities. Thirteen morphological haemosporidian species and four potential new species were identified, and the species associated with 56 molecular lineages reported in other neotropical countries were confirmed at the genus level.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Arif Ciloglu, Alparslan Yildirim, Didem Pekmezci, Gamze Yetismis, Neslihan Sursal Simsek, Emrah Simsek, Onder Duzlu, Zuhal Onder, Nesrin Delibasi Kokcu, Gokmen Zafer Pekmezci, Vincenzo A. Ellis, Abdullah Inci
Summary: This study developed a new one-step multiplex PCR protocol to detect and differentiate different avian haemosporidian infections. The protocol was successfully applied to identify infections in domestic pigeons in Turkey and assess the host specificity of the parasite. These findings provide valuable data on the prevalence and distribution of avian haemosporidians.
VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Sandrine Musa, Ute Mackenstedt, Friederike Woog, Anke Dinkel
Summary: The development of new molecular methods has improved the detection and identification of avian haemosporidian parasites. Many previously unknown species have been discovered. Different detection methods showed differences in detection rate, and combination of methods yielded the best results.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juliana Tamayo-Quintero, Josue Martinez-de la Puente, Miriam San-Jose, Catalina Gonzalez-Quevedo, Hector F. Rivera-Gutierrez
Summary: The study evaluates the effects of bird community on avian haemosporidians infections in a Neotropical region. The findings show that bird community dominance and richness do not significantly affect the prevalence and number of avian parasite infections, but they are related to the total number and expected richness of parasite lineages. This study contributes significantly to our understanding of blood parasite diversity in tropical birds within a relatively understudied region of South America.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Josue Martinez-de la Puente, Alazne Diez-Fernandez, Ramon C. Soriguer, Luisa Rambozzi, Andrea Peano, Pier Giuseppe Meneguz, Jordi Figuerola
Summary: The host manipulation hypothesis suggests that parasites modify hosts' phenotype to increase transmission success. Avian malaria parasites may attract mosquitoes by altering the odor profile of infected birds, supporting this hypothesis.
ARDEOLA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Karla Rodriguez-Hernandez, Paulina Alvarez-Mendizabal, Leonardo Chapa-Vargas, Federico Escobar, Wesley Dattilo, Diego Santiago-Alarcon
Summary: Host-parasite distribution and interactions are influenced by various factors including geography, evolutionary associations, species composition, and environmental variables. This study focused on the haemosporidian-avian host communities in tropical mountain systems to understand how network interactions affect parasite-host specialization. The findings revealed that vegetation type constrains the distribution of hosts and parasites, and intraspecies infection intensity plays a crucial role in the dynamics and interactions of the haemosporidian community.
Article
Ecology
Paulina Alvarez-Mendizabal, Fabricio Villalobos, Karla Rodriguez-Hernandez, Carolina Hernandez-Lara, Oscar Rico-Chavez, Gerardo Suzan, Leonardo Chapa-Vargas, Diego Santiago-Alarcon
Summary: The study examined the metacommunity structure of avian haemosporidians in different elevations in Central Veracruz, Mexico, finding that environmental conditions play a more significant role than host-related traits in shaping the parasite assemblages. The research identified a nested pattern of parasite distribution across bird species, with varying levels of turnover observed across elevations, and highlighted the influence of climatic variables on parasite turnover at the habitat level. Environmental filtering was shown to be a key factor in structuring parasite communities at the landscape scale.
ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Monika Cepkova, Maria Meliskova, Lucia Rubacova
Summary: This study investigated the presence of blood parasites in a wild population of common kingfishers in the Danube River system. The results showed that no blood parasites were found in any of the examined birds, possibly due to the type and location of their nests, which reduced the presence of parasite vectors.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas, Rasa Binkiene, Gediminas Valkiunas
Summary: The study investigated blood parasite infections in Eurasian blackbird and Song thrush, identifying a new Lankesterella species and molecularly characterizing Splendidofilaria mavis. Different blood parasite species showed varied circadian rhythms of parasitemia peaks, suggesting potential impacts on disease transmission and host-parasite interactions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniele De Luca, Wiebe H. C. F. Kooistra, Diana Sarno, Elio Biffali, Roberta Piredda
Summary: Concerted evolution is a process of homogenisation of repetitive sequences within a genome. By studying Chaetoceros species, researchers found that the dominant haplotype is a result of efficient homogenisation mechanism, while minor haplotypes are mostly generated by incomplete homogenisation. Additionally, the study showed that phylogenetic networks can be inferred from environmental data to visualize concerted evolution.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Karin Bakran-Lebl, Carina Zittra, Josef Harl, Bita Shahi-Barogh, Andreas Gratzl, David Ebmer, Francis Schaffner, Hans-Peter Fuehrer
Summary: In August 2020, Aedes albopictus was found in Vienna, Austria for the first time. DNA-barcoding revealed three different haplotypes, but it is unclear whether they resulted from single or multiple introduction events. The proximity of the Viennese Ae. albopictus sites to major traffic routes suggests passive transport may be important for the species' range expansion.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Tanja Himmel, Josef Harl, Julia Matt, Herbert Weissenboeck
Summary: The study investigated avian mortality in Austria and found a 31% infection rate of haemosporidian parasites in birds, with finches and tits being the most affected species. Most infected birds showed low parasite burdens in the blood and tissues, ruling out a significant contribution of haemosporidian infections to morbidity or death of the examined birds.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Josef Harl, Tanja Himmel, Gediminas Valkiunas, Mikas Ilgunas, Nora Nedorost, Julia Matt, Anna Kubber-Heiss, Amer Alic, Cornelia Konicek, Herbert Weissenboeck
Summary: This study performed molecular genetic screening and chromogenic in situ hybridization on accipitriform raptors to analyze haemosporidian parasites. The results revealed that 44% of raptors from Austria and Bosnia-Herzegovina were infected with haemosporidian parasites. Additionally, multiple lineages of these parasites were found in accipitriform birds globally, with most of the Plasmodium lineages detected in birds of other orders.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Herbert Weissenboeck, Arnt Ebinger, Anna Maria Gager, Denise Thaller, Dirk Hoeper, Katharina Lichtmannsperger, Christiane Weissenbacher-Lang, Julia Matt, Martin Beer
Summary: An Austrian organic dairy sheep farm experienced cases of recumbency and sudden deaths in 3- to 4-week-old lambs. Pathological analysis identified a new enterovirus causing severe myelitis in affected motoneurons of the spinal cord, indicating a causative role of the novel virus. The reverse-transcription quantitative PCR assay for the recently discovered ovine picornavirus showed negative results, leading to the detection of the new enterovirus through next-generation sequencing-based metagenomics.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Alexandra Hund, Johannes Reithofer, Bita Shahi Barogh, Maria Sophia Unterkoefler, Josef Harl, Hans-Peter Fuehrer
Summary: Bovine parafilariosis, caused by Parafilaria bovicola, was documented in multiple provinces in Austria with a high number of cases in 2020. PCR and sequencing confirmed the presence of P. bovicola in cattle from various regions, indicating multiple introductions of the parasite. The study concludes that the disease has spread in Austria and anticipates an increase in clinical signs and losses in the future.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Rene Brunthaler, Norbert Teufelbauer, Benjamin Seaman, Nora Nedorost, Karin Bittermann, Julia Matt, Christiane Weissenbacher-Lang, Herbert Weissenboeck
Summary: This study investigated episodes of mass mortality of songbirds, especially in greenfinches, in Austria between 2012 and 2020. The cause of these deaths was identified as a particular protozoal parasite, which induced severe inflammation and ultimately led to starvation and death. The pathogen was found to have spread throughout Austria and caused a decline in the population of greenfinches.
Article
Ecology
Merit Gonzalez-Olvera, Arturo Hernandez-Colina, Tanja Himmel, Lindsay Eckley, Javier Lopez, Julian Chantrey, Matthew Baylis, Andrew P. Jackson
Summary: The mortality event of Humboldt penguins at Chester Zoo in 2017 was related to avian malaria, highlighting the severe threat this disease poses to penguins. Long-term surveillance is necessary to understand the association between Plasmodium infection and penguin mortality for effective disease control and prevention.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Mikas Ilgunas, Tanja Himmel, Josef Harl, Mindaugas Dagys, Gediminas Valkiunas, Herbert Weissenboeck
Summary: This study aimed to investigate avian haemosporidian parasites infecting owls in Europe and study their tissue stages. The study discovered seven new genetic variants of the parasites and identified the tissue development stages in the brains, heart muscles, and kidneys of infected birds.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kaspar Matiasek, Florian Pfaff, Herbert Weissenboeck, Claudia Wylezich, Jolanta Kolodziejek, Sofia Tengstrand, Frauke Ecke, Sina Nippert, Philip Starcky, Benedikt Litz, Jasmin Nessler, Peter Wohlsein, Christina Baumbach, Lars Mundhenk, Andrea Aebischer, Sven Reiche, Pia Weidinger, Karin M. Olofsson, Cecilia Rohdin, Christiane Weissenbacher-Lang, Julia Matt, Marco Rosati, Thomas Flegel, Birger Hornfeldt, Dirk Hoeper, Rainer G. Ulrich, Norbert Nowotny, Martin Beer, Cecilia Ley, Dennis Rubbenstroth
Summary: 'Staggering disease', a neurological illness that has posed a threat to European domestic cats for almost five decades, has finally been linked to the Rustrela virus (RusV). RusV, a relative of rubella virus, was detected in the brains of cats with clinical signs of 'staggering disease' from Sweden, Austria, and Germany, but not in unaffected control cats. Additionally, RusV was found to infect wood mice in Sweden. This discovery suggests that RusV may be responsible for neuropathologies in other mammals, including humans.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Melanie Duc, Tanja Himmel, Mikas Ilgunas, Vytautas Eigirdas, Herbert Weissenboeck, Gediminas Valkiunas
Summary: This study investigates the development patterns and impact on hosts of two species of avian parasites, Haemoproteus dumbbellus and Haemoproteus hirundinis. The authors found that H. dumbbellus develops in multiple organs, while H. hirundinis is only found in the pectoral muscles. These findings suggest a potential phylogenetic influence on the development of Haemoproteus parasites.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jorge Garrido-Bautista, Josef Harl, Hans-Peter Fuehrer, Mar Comas, Steve Smith, Dustin J. Penn, Gregorio Moreno-Rueda
Summary: This study examines the prevalence and associations of microfilariae in a wild population of blue tits, as well as characterizes the filarioid lineages using genetic sequencing. The results show a moderate prevalence of microfilariae in the blue tit population, and a negative association between parasite presence and host body mass. Phylogenetic analyses reveal the presence of five filarioid lineages, four of which belong to the Splendidofilaria clade.
Article
Microbiology
Melanie Duc, Tanja Himmel, Josef Harl, Tatjana Iezhova, Nora Nedorost, Julia Matt, Mikas Ilgunas, Herbert Weissenboeck, Gediminas Valkiunas
Summary: Haemoproteus parasites are common pathogens of birds with a wide genetic and morphological diversity. This study examined and compared the development of five different H. majoris lineages in various bird hosts, and found that the development was similar among lineages but varied in terms of the affected organs and developmental locations.