title: Epizootiology of blood parasites in an Australian lizard: a mark-recapture study of a natural population.
abstract: The dynamics of a naturally endemic blood parasite (Hepatozoon hinuliae) were studied in a lizard (Eulamprus quoyii) host population, using 2 years of longitudinal data. We investigated how parasite abundance in the population varied over time, examined whether certain host sub-populations were more prone to infection, and compared parasite loads in relation to host reproductive behaviour. We recorded blood parasite infections of 331 individuals, obtained in 593 captures. Prevalence (the proportion of the host population infected) of blood parasites was high; approximately 66% of the lizard population was infected. Probability of infection increased with host age and size, but did not differ between the sexes. Within individuals, parasite load (the intensity of infection within individuals) did not vary over time, and was independent of host reproductive behaviour. Parasite load was significantly higher in males compared to females.
authors.affiliation: School of Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia. dan.salkeld@jcu.edu.au
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Salkeld
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schwarzkopf
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D016783:Eucoccidiida / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008116:Lizards / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012098:Reproduction; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors