Logo image
Avian malaria, ecological host traits and mosquito abundance in southeastern Amazonia
Journal article   Open access

Avian malaria, ecological host traits and mosquito abundance in southeastern Amazonia

Alan Fecchio, Vincenzo A. Ellis, Jeffrey A. Bell, Christian B. Andretti, Fernando M. D'horta, Allan M. Silva, Vasyl V. Tkach and Jason D. Weckstein
Parasitology, v 144(8), pp 1117-1132
01 Jul 2017
PMID: 28345500
url
https://doi.org/10.1017/s003118201700035xView
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Maybe Open Access (Publisher Bronze) Open
url
https://doi.org/10.1017/S003118201700035XView
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine Parasitology Science & Technology
Avian malaria is a vector transmitted disease caused by Plasmodium and recent studies suggest that variation in its prevalence across avian hosts is correlated with a variety of ecological traits. Here we examine the relationship between prevalence and diversity of Plasmodium lineages in southeastern Amazonia and: (1) host ecological traits (nest location, nest type, flocking behaviour and diet); (2) density and diversity of avian hosts; (3) abundance and diversity of mosquitoes; and (4) season. We used molecular methods to detect Plasmodium in blood samples from 675 individual birds of 120 species. Based on cytochrome b sequences, we recovered 89 lineages of Plasmodium from 136 infected individuals sampled across seven localities. Plasmodium prevalence was homogeneous over time (dry season and flooding season) and space, but heterogeneous among 51 avian host species. Variation in prevalence among bird species was not explained by avian ecological traits, density of avian hosts, or mosquito abundance. However, Plasmodium lineage diversity was positively correlated with mosquito abundance. Interestingly, our results suggest that avian host traits are less important determinants of Plasmodium prevalence and diversity in southeastern Amazonia than in other regions in which they have been investigated.

Metrics

18 Record Views
38 citations in Scopus

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Parasitology
Logo image