Skip to search formSkip to main contentSkip to account menu

Host specificity in avian blood parasites: a study of Plasmodium and Haemoproteus mitochondrial DNA amplified from birds

A fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of avian malaria was amplified from blood samples of 12 species of passerine birds from the genera Acrocephalus, Phylloscopus and Parus, finding two to four different parasite mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes in four bird species.
View on Royal Society (opens in a new tab)

Temporal dynamics and diversity of avian malaria parasites in a single host species.

A remarkable diversity of parasite lineages are unraveled in a long-term population study of great reed warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus that was not foreseen from traditional microscopic examination of blood smears, suggesting that knowledge of extrinsic parameters such as vector distribution and alternative hosts are required to understand these patterns.
View on PubMed (opens in a new tab)

Complex Mhc-based mate choice in a wild passerine

The results suggest that mate choice evolves in response to (i) benefits in terms of parasite resistance acquired from allelic diversity, and (ii) costs associated with the disruption of co-adapted genes.
View on Royal Society (opens in a new tab)

Hidden costs of infection: Chronic malaria accelerates telomere degradation and senescence in wild birds

In a wild population of great reed warblers, it was found that low-level chronic malaria infection reduced life span as well as the lifetime number and quality of offspring.
View on Science (opens in a new tab)

A quantitative review of MHC‐based mating preference: the role of diversity and dissimilarity

Using formal phylogenetic meta‐analysis and meta‐regression techniques, this work quantitatively review the existing literature on MHC‐dependent mating preferences in nonhuman vertebrates with a focus on the role of MHC diversity and dissimilarity and found small, statistically nonsignificant, average effect sizes.
View on Wiley (opens in a new tab)

TERMINAL INVESTMENT INDUCED BY IMMUNE CHALLENGE AND FITNESS TRAITS ASSOCIATED WITH MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX IN THE HOUSE SPARROW

Results show that immune system activation is potentially used as a cue of reduced survival prospect and appears to induce a costly terminal investment behavior, and Mhc diversity might be under selection in a natural population of house sparrows.
View on Wiley (opens in a new tab)

DOES LINKAGE DISEQUILIBRIUM GENERATE HETEROZYGOSITY‐FITNESS CORRELATIONS IN GREAT REED WARBLERS?

The present finding of a significant within‐family multilocus heterozygosity‐survival association in a nonequilibrium population supports the view that LD generates HFCs in natural populations.
View on Wiley (opens in a new tab)

Passerine MHC: genetic variation and disease resistance in the wild

Passerines and avian malaria is a study system that is well-suited to investigations of balancing selection and associations between MHC genes and disease resistance.
View on Springer (opens in a new tab)

Dynamics of parasitemia of malaria parasites in a naturally and experimentally infected migratory songbird, the great reed warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus.

View on PubMed (opens in a new tab)

Mhc diversity in two passerine birds: no evidence for a minimal essential Mhc

It is suggested that birds of the order Passeriformes in general have more Mhc class I and II B genes than birds in the order Galliformes, which could be caused by their phylogenetic past, and/or by variance in the selection pressure for maintaining a high number of MhC genes.
View on Springer (opens in a new tab)
...
By clicking accept or continuing to use the site, you agree to the terms outlined in our Privacy Policy (opens in a new tab), Terms of Service (opens in a new tab), and Dataset License (opens in a new tab)