The first report of nine species of haemosporidian parasites (Haemosporida: Haemoproteus, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon) in wild birds from Slovakia

Abstract

During 2009 and 2010 samples from 251 wild birds (37 species) from nine sites of Slovakia were collected. Blood samples were tested for Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon spp. parasites using both PCR-based and microscopy techniques. The overall prevalence of infection was 56.6%, while prevalence of Haemoproteus a Plasmodium spp. (were evaluated separately from Leucocytozoon) was 46.6% and the prevalence of Leucocytozoon spp. was 33.9%. After microscopic examination of stained blood smears the identification of haemoproteids was performed. There were 14 species of three genera identified, i.e., Haemoproteus parabelopolskyi, H. belopolskyi, H. magnus, H. fallisi, H. fringillae, H. balmorali, H. dolniki, H. tartakovskyi, H. lanii, Leucocytozoon majoris, L. dubreuili, Plasmodium vaughani, P. relictum, P. circumflexum. Except for H. fringillae, H. balmorali, H. belopolskyi, L. majoris and L. dubreuili, the mentioned species of parasites were recorded for the first time in Slovakia.