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Volume 50, No. 1

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No evidence of avian malaria in two Mediterranean endemic seabirds


Authors

LUCA ILAHIANE1*, FEDERICO DE PASCALIS2, DANILO PISU3, DAVID PALA4, FEDERICA FERRARIO5, MARCO CUCCO1, DIEGO RUBOLINI2, JACOPO G. CECERE6 & IRENE PELLEGRINO1
1University of Piemonte Orientale, Department of Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition (DiSSTE), 13100, Vercelli, Italy
*(luca.ilahiane@uniupo.it)
2University of Milan, Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, 20133, Milan, Italy
3Regione Pireddu Nieddu snc, 07040, Stintino, Italy
4Azienda Speciale Parco di Porto Conte, 07041, Alghero, Italy
5Ente Regionale per i Servizi all’Agricoltura e alle Foreste, ERSAF Lombardia, 20124, Milan, Italy
6Area BIO-AVM, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research ISPRA, 40064, Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italy

Citation

ILAHIANE, L., DE PASCALIS, F., PISU, D., PALA, D., FERRARIO, F., CUCCO, M., RUBOLINI, D., CECERE, J.G. & PELLEGRINO, I. 2022. No evidence of avian malaria in two Mediterranean endemic seabirds. Marine Ornithology 50: 13 - 17
http://doi.org/10.5038/2074-1235.50.1.1454

Received 23 August 2021, Accepted 22 October 2021

Date Published: 2022/04/15
Date Online: 2022/02/10
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Key words: Aedes mariae, blood parasites, Calonectris diomedea, Haemoproteus, Haemosporidian, Hydrobates pelagicus, Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium

Abstract

In birds, pathogens and diseases, such as avian malaria, can have severe detrimental effects on individual fitness. Pathogen prevalence can vary across species and may differ between populations living in different localities, but screening can help to understand a disease's distribution and parasite-host interactions. Although seabirds generally exhibit low avian malaria infection patterns, blood parasites of several species and populations have never been investigated in detail. Using molecular techniques, we screened for blood parasites in two Mediterranean seabirds, the Scopoli's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea and the Mediterranean Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis. In addition, we searched for and sampled potential vector insects at each seabird colony. DNA was extracted from blood samples (or whole specimens for vector insect species), and polymerase chain reaction was performed to assess the presence of Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon, the most frequent infective protozoan genera. Our results showed no evidence of haemosporidians, either in the sampled species or in the vector insects. The low prevalence of parasites in these species could reflect the absence or rarity of the vector for transmission. Thus, extreme care must be taken when releasing individuals into the wild to avoid introducing infection into new seabird populations.

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Volumes > 38 (2010-->)

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