10.1371/journal.pone.0099501
Yanhua Zhang
Yanhua
Zhang
Yuchun Wu
Yuchun
Wu
Qiang Zhang
Qiang
Zhang
Dongdong Su
Dongdong
Su
Fasheng Zou
Fasheng
Zou
Prevalence Patterns of Avian <i>Plasmodium</i> and <i>Haemoproteus</i> Parasites and the Influence of Host Relative Abundance in Southern China
Public Library of Science
2014
ecology
biodiversity
Evolutionary biology
Evolutionary systematics
phylogenetics
Parasitology
Zoology
Avian biology
Infectious diseases
Parasitic diseases
malaria
prevalence
patterns
avian
parasites
abundance
china
2014-06-09 02:59:02
Dataset
https://plos.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Prevalence_Patterns_of_Avian_Plasmodium_and_Haemoproteus_Parasites_and_the_Influence_of_Host_Relative_Abundance_in_Southern_China/1050849
<div><p>Infectious diseases threaten the health and survival of wildlife populations. Consequently, relationships between host diversity, host abundance, and parasite infection are important aspects of disease ecology and conservation research. Here, we report on the prevalence patterns of avian <i>Plasmodium</i> and <i>Haemoproteus</i> infections and host relative abundance influence based on sampling 728 wild-caught birds representing 124 species at seven geographically widespread sites in southern China. The overall prevalence of two haemoprotozoan parasites, <i>Plasmodium</i> and <i>Haemoproteus</i>, was 29.5%, with 22.0% attributable to <i>Haemoproteus</i> and 7.8% to <i>Plasmodium</i>. <i>Haemoproteus</i> prevalence differed significantly among different avian host families, with the highest prevalence in Nectariniidae, Pycnonotidae and Muscicapidae, whereas <i>Plasmodium</i> prevalence varied significantly among host species. Seventy-nine mitochondrial lineages including 25 from <i>Plasmodium</i> and 54 from <i>Haemoproteus</i> were identified, 80% of which were described here for the first time. The phylogenetic relationships among these parasites indicated stronger host-species specificity for <i>Haemoproteus</i> than <i>Plasmodium</i>. Well-supported host-family (Timaliidae) specific clades were found in both <i>Plasmodium</i> and <i>Haemoproteus</i>. The <i>Haemoproteus</i> tree shows regional subclades, whereas the <i>Plasmodium</i> clades are “scattered” among different geographical regions. Interestingly, there were statistically significant variations in the prevalence of <i>Plasmodium</i> and <i>Haemoproteus</i> among the geographical regions. Furthermore, the prevalence of <i>Plasmodium</i> and <i>Haemoproteus</i> were not significantly correlated with host relative abundance. Further efforts will focus on exploring the relationships between parasite prevalence and sex, age, and immune defense of the host.</p></div>