Small and isolated populations usually exhibit low levels of genetic variability, and thus, they are expected to have a lower capacity to adapt to changes in environmental conditions, such as exposure to pathogens and parasites. Comparing the genetic variability of selectively neutral versus functional loci allows one to assess the evolutionary history of populations and their future evolutiona...

During the years 2004-2006 the parasitological autopsies of three species of fish: roach Rutilus rutilus (L.), bream Abramis brama (L.) and perch Perca fluviatilis L. from three lakes situated in warmińsko-mazurskie voivodeship were done. The aim of this study was comparable analysis of Metazoan parasite communities which occur in roach, bream and perch in three lakes of river Łyna watershed. T...

Leucocytozoon parasites infect many species of avian hosts, including domestic chicken, and can inflict heavy economic loss to the poultry industry. Although the prevalence and distribution of two Leucocytozoon species (L. sabrazesi and L. caulleryi) have been reported in China previously, there are many questions related to the parasite infection that remain unanswered, including population di...

Host-parasite antagonistic interaction has been proposed as a potential agent to promote genetic polymorphism and to favour sex against asex, despite its twofold cost in reproduction. However, the host-parasite gene-for-gene dynamics often produce unstable cycles that tend to destroy genetic diversity. Here, we examine such diversity destroying coevolutionary dynamics of host and parasite, whic...

Infections of the lizard malaria parasite Plasmodium mexicanum are often genetically complex within their fence lizard host (Sceloporus occidentalis) harbouring two or more clones of parasite. The role of clonal diversity in transmission success was studied for P. mexicanum by feeding its sandfly vectors (Lutzomyia vexator and Lutzomyia stewarti) on experimentally infected lizards. Experimental...

Antagonistic coevolution between hosts and parasites has been proposed as a mechanism maintaining genetic diversity in both host and parasite populations. In particular, the high level of genetic diversity usually observed at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is generally thought to be maintained by parasite-driven selection. Among the possible ways through which parasites can maintain...

BACKGROUND The Kenyan highlands were malaria-free before the 1910s, but a series of malaria epidemics have occurred in the highlands of western Kenya since the 1980s. Longitudinal studies of the genetic structure, complexity, infection dynamics, and duration of naturally acquired Plasmodium falciparum infections are needed to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of malaria epidemiology in t...

The digenean trematode Schistosoma mansoni is responsible for chronic schistosomiasis worldwide, and in Brazil alone an estimated 35 million people are at risk. To evaluate epidemiological patterns among human definitive hosts, we assessed genetic diversity and population subdivision of S. mansoni infrapopulations in human hosts from the highly endemic village of Virgem das Graças in the state ...

Monogenea is one of the most species-rich groups of parasitic flatworms worldwide with many species described from African freshwater fish. Little is known about the diversity and geographic distribution of monogenean parasites infesting the Red Sea fishes in Egypt. In the present study, a total of 45 specimens of the brushtooth lizardfish Saurida undosquamis (family: Synodontidae) and...

Growing interest in ecology has recently focused on the hypothesis that community diversity can mediate infection levels and disease ('dilution effect'). In turn, biodiversity loss--a widespread consequence of environmental change--can indirectly promote increases in disease, including those of medical and veterinary importance. While this work has focused primarily on correlational studies inv...