High prevalence and lineage diversity of avian malaria in wild populations of great tits (Parus major) and mosquitoes (Culex pipiens).

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Version: Final published version
License: CC BY 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_B9ABDC449EA5
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
High prevalence and lineage diversity of avian malaria in wild populations of great tits (Parus major) and mosquitoes (Culex pipiens).
Journal
PLoS One
Author(s)
Glaizot O., Fumagalli L., Iritano K., Lalubin F., Van Rooyen J., Christe P.
ISSN
1932-6203 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1932-6203
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2012
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
7
Number
4
Pages
e34964
Language
english
Abstract
Avian malaria studies have taken a prominent place in different aspects of evolutionary ecology. Despite a recent interest in the role of vectors within the complex interaction system of the malaria parasite, they have largely been ignored in most epidemiological studies. Epidemiology of the disease is however strongly related to the vector's ecology and behaviour, and there is a need for basic investigations to obtain a better picture of the natural associations between Plasmodium lineages, vector species and bird hosts. The aim of the present study was to identify the mosquito species involved in the transmission of the haemosporidian parasites Plasmodium spp. in two wild populations of breeding great tits (Parus major) in western Switzerland. Additionally, we compared Plasmodium lineages, based on mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b sequences, between the vertebrate and dipteran hosts, and evaluated the prevalence of the parasite in the mosquito populations. Plasmodium spp. were detected in Culex pipiens only, with an overall 6.6% prevalence. Among the six cytochrome b lineages of Plasmodium identified in the mosquitoes, three were also present in great tits. The results provide evidence for the first time that C. pipiens can act as a natural vector of avian malaria in Europe and yield baseline data for future research on the epidemiology of avian malaria in European countries.
Keywords
Animals, Culex/parasitology, Cytochromes b/genetics, DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics, DNA, Protozoan/genetics, Malaria, Avian/epidemiology, Malaria, Avian/parasitology, Passeriformes, Plasmodium/genetics, Prevalence, Switzerland/epidemiology
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
12/03/2012 10:36
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:27
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