Relationship between energetic condition and indicators of immune function in thrushes during spring migration

نویسنده

  • J. C. Owen
چکیده

Evidence suggests that the ability of an animal to maintain its immune system and (or) mount an immune response depends on its nutritional health and energetic condition. Migration is a period within an animal’s annual cycle when energetic condition varies, especially after a long, nonstop flight over a large ecological barrier. Our objective was to determine if measures of immune function in migrating Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina (J.F. Gmelin, 1789)), Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus (Nuttall, 1840)), Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus (Lafresnaye, 1848)), and Veery (Catharus fuscescens (Stephens, 1817)) were related to the energetic condition of the birds at a stopover site during spring migration. We present data on total leukocyte, lymphocyte, and heterophil counts, heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, serum immunoglobulin gamma G (IgG) concentration, and immune response to phytohemagglutinin. Thrushes arriving at the stopover site in poor energetic condition had low leukocyte and lymphocyte counts. Heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, heterophil count, and IgG concentration were not related to energetic condition. Furthermore, immune response to phytohemagglutinin was positively related to change in mass and days spent in captivity, suggesting that immune function may improve during stopover. We suggest that migrating thrushes arriving at a stopover site in poor energetic condition may also be in poor immunological condition and may have increased susceptibility to disease or parasite infection. Résumé : Des données indiquent que la capacité d’un animal à maintenir son système immunitaire et(ou) à développer une réaction immunitaire dépend de sa santé alimentaire et de sa condition énergétique. La migration représente une période dans le cycle annuel d’un animal pendant laquelle les conditions énergétiques varient, particulièrement après un long vol ininterrompu de migration à travers une importante barrière écologique. Notre objectif est de déterminer si les mesures de la fonction immunitaire chez des grives des bois (Hylocichla mustelina (J.F. Gmelin, 1789)), des grives à dos olive (Catharus ustulatus (Nuttall, 1840)), des grives à joues grises (Catharus minimus (Lafresnaye, 1848)) et des grives fauves (Catharus fuscescens (Stephens, 1817)) en migration sont reliées à la condition énergétique des oiseaux à un site d’arrêt durant leur migration printanière. Nous présentons des données sur les dénombrements totaux de leucocytes, de lymphocytes et d’hétérophiles, sur le rapport hétérophiles/lymphocytes, sur la concentration d’immunoglobuline gamma G (IgG) sérique et sur la réaction immunitaire à la phytohémagglutinine. Les grives qui arrivent au site d’arrêt en mauvaise condition énergétique ont des dénombrements bas de leucocytes et de lymphocytes. Le rapport hétérophyles/ lymphocytes, le dénombrement d’hétérophiles et l’IgG ne sont pas reliés à la condition énergétique. De plus, la réaction immunitaire à la phytohémagglutinine est en corrélation positive avec le changement de masse et le nombre de jours de garde en captivité, ce qui laisse croire que la fonction immunitaire peut s’améliorer durant l’arrêt. Nous croyons que les grives en migration qui arrivent au site d’arrêt en mauvaise condition énergétique peuvent aussi être en mauvaise condition immunologique et être plus vulnérables à la maladie ou aux infections parasitaires. [Traduit par la Rédaction]

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تاریخ انتشار 2008