PREVALENCE AND DIVERSITY OF AVIAN MALARIA PARASITES AT MIDDLE AND HIGH ELEVATIONS IN MONTANE PAPUA NEW GUINEAN BIRDS
Date
2024-05
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Since its discovery, avian malaria parasites have served as an important model system
for understanding the ecological and evolutionary forces behind host-parasite
relationships. However, these parasites remain poorly characterized in many under researched areas. Samples were collected from Mount Karimui and the YUS
conservation area to better understand the avian malaria parasites in Papua New
Guinea (PNG). We used molecular methods to detect and identify avian malaria
parasites (genera: Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon) from DNA in
avian blood samples. For infected samples, we sequenced the parasite cytochrome b
(cyt b) gene to identify parasite genetic lineages. We tested for avian malaria parasites
in 75 blood samples from 29 bird species. Over half the samples (42 samples; 56%)
were infected with at least one avian malaria parasite. Samples at the middle elevation
site (1,350 masl - 1,575 masl) in Mount Karimui had a higher prevalence (37 samples;
67%) than samples from the high elevation (2,550 masl) YUS conservation area (5
samples; 25%). Infections from Haemoproteus parasites made up a majority of the
overall infections (35 samples; 83%), while Plasmodium (21 samples; 50%) and
Leucocytozoon (4 samples; 1%) were less common. About 40% of infected birds (n =
17) were infected by parasites from more than one genus; the majority were mixed
Haemoproteus and Plasmodium infections (n = 16) while one sample was infected
with all three genera. We identified 21 genetic parasite lineages, 12 of which have not
been previously reported. This study is an important first step in characterizing the
prevalence and diversity of avian malaria parasites in the montane birds of PNG.