The prevalence of avian haematozoa in 826 species of birds representing 73 families of sub-Saharan birds as recorded in the literature or in the files of the International Reference Centre for Avian Haematozoa and the Veterinary Research Institute is presented. The most commonly occurring blood parasites were members of the genus Haemoproteus which were represented by 63 species which occurred ...

The common term, "malaria parasites," is controversial in its use. Malaria is a disease, not a parasite. Thus, it is not appropriate to write or speak of "malaria infecting a bird." So, the parasites should be referred to as "malaria parasites" just as we might refer to "the cold virus." But, malaria is a human disease, with characteristic symptoms. Infection causes pathology in other vertebrat...

Parasite diversity on remote oceanic archipelagos is determined by the number and timing of colonizations and by in situ diversification rate. In this study, we compare intra-archipelago diversity of two hemosporidian parasite genera, Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon, infecting birds of the Mascarene archipelago. Despite the generally higher vagility of Plasmodium parasites, we report a diversity o...

Leucocytozoon lovati infections were detected in free-flying rock ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus), an endangered species that inhabits alpine areas in Japan. Eight of nine adult birds tested positive for L. lovati infection. For comparison, two captive rock ptarmigans hatched in a breeding facility at the foot of the mountains were examined. Both were negative for L. lovati infection. This is the fir...

Abstract Within animal hybrid zones, parasites may determine competitive outcomes between host species and thus affect hybridization dynamics. We addressed this hypothesis by evaluating haemosporidian prevalence community composition in a rapidly moving zone Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) Carolina (P. carolinensis). Using molecular methods, we screened for haemosporidians multip...

Empirical evidence supports wild birds as playing a role in the interhemispheric exchange of bacteria and viruses; however, data supporting the redistribution of parasites among continents are limited. In this study, the hypothesis that migratory birds contribute to the redistribution of parasites between continents was tested by sampling northern pintails (Anas acuta) at locations throughout t...

—Infectious diseases can potentially affect the seasonal migration of hawks. We tested three species of California hawks from autumn 2004 to spring 2006 for haemosporidian blood parasites (Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon spp.). We screened 323 Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), 100 Cooper’s Hawks (Accipiter cooperii), and 21 Red-shouldered Hawks (B. lineatus) for blood parasites ...

To understand the role of migratory birds in the movement and transmission of haematozoa within and between continental regions, we examined 804 blood samples collected from eleven endemic species of South American waterfowl in Peru and Argentina for infection by Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and/or Leucocytozoon blood parasites. Infections were detected in 25 individuals of six species for an over...