Abstract

BackgroundAvian malaria parasites are microorganisms parasitizing erythrocytes and various tissues of the birds; they are common and distributed worldwide. These parasites are known to infect birds of different taxa and be the cause of the deaths of birds in the wild and in captivity. The species of parasites with the ability to colonize new territories and infect local non-migratory birds are of particular interest. This scenario is likely in temperate zones of Europe, because of climate change and its contribution in spreading vectors of southern origin, which can be involved in the transmission of malaria parasites. In the present study, a tropical Plasmodium parasite from a naturally infected long-distance migrant bird was isolated and tested for its ability to develop in common species of mosquitoes and European short-distance migrant birds.MethodsPlasmodium sp. (pFANTAIL01) was isolated on the Curonian spit of the Baltic sea coast from the naturally infected Common rosefinch, Carpodacus erythrinus in June 2019. The parasite was described based on the morphological features of its blood stages, the partial mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and development after experimental infection of birds and mosquitoes. The parasite was inoculated into Eurasian siskins, Carduelis spinus. Parasitaemia, haematocrit and weight of birds were monitored. At the end of the survey, internal organs were collected to study exoerythrocytic stages of this parasite. Experimental infection of mosquitoes Culex pipiens form molestus and Culex quinquefasciatus was applied to study sporogonic development of the parasite.ResultsBased on morphological features, the parasite was described as a new species, Plasmodium collidatum n. sp., and attributed to subgenus Novyella. It was revealed that the obtained pFANTAIL01 lineage is a generalist parasite infecting a wide range of avian hosts and most likely is transmitted in South and Southeast (SE) Asia and Oceania. In Europe, this strain was recorded only in adult migratory birds wintering in South Asia. This parasite developed high parasitaemia in experimentally infected siskins and caused 25 % mortality. Exoerythrocytic stages of pFANTAIL01 were found in the lungs, liver, spleen and kidney of the deceased birds. Sporogonic development did not occur in Cx. pipiens form molestus and Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes.ConclusionsPlasmodium collidatum is a highly virulent for Eurasian siskin and completes its development in these birds, which can be considered as a potential vertebrate host if the transmission of the infection starts occurring in Europe and temperate zones.

Highlights

  • Avian malaria parasites are microorganisms parasitizing erythrocytes and various tissues of the birds; they are common and distributed worldwide

  • Among the latter are Plasmo‐ dium delichoni, Plasmodium homonucleophilum, Plasmodium homocircum‐ flexum, Plasmodium ashfordi, and some others [12,13,14,15]. This is only a small fraction of all recorded Plasmodium genetic lineages, which are linked to morphologically described species and contains information about their development and virulence for a vertebrate host

  • The strain was multiplied in one Eurasian siskin by subinoculation of infected blood as described below for studying experimental infection in the vertebrate host

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Summary

Introduction

Avian malaria parasites are microorganisms parasitizing erythrocytes and various tissues of the birds; they are common and distributed worldwide. The species of parasites with the ability to colonize new territories and infect local non-migratory birds are of particular interest This scenario is likely in temperate zones of Europe, because of climate change and its contribution in spreading vectors of southern origin, which can be involved in the transmission of malaria parasites. Extensive molecular screening of juvenile and adult birds as well as migrant and non-migrating species of birds in Europe reveals which avian malarial parasites are transmitted within Europe and which are exotic species present only in birds after their return from wintering quarters [11] Among the latter are Plasmo‐ dium delichoni (genetic lineage pCOLL6), Plasmodium homonucleophilum (pSW2), Plasmodium homocircum‐ flexum (pCOLL4), Plasmodium ashfordi (pGRW2), and some others [12,13,14,15]. In most of the cases, natural vectors are still unknown

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