Antiparasite treatments reduce humoral immunity and impact oxidative status in raptor nestlings.
Parasites are natural stressors that may have multiple negative effects on their host as they usurp energy and nutrients and may lead to costly immune responses that may cause oxidative stress. At early stages, animals may be more sensitive to infectious organisms because of their rapid growth and partly immature immune system. The objective of this study was to explore effects of parasites by treating chicks of two raptor species (northern goshawk Accipiter gentilis and white-tailed sea eagle Haliaeetus albicilla) against both endoparasites (internal parasites) and ectoparasites (external parasites). Nests were either treated against ectoparasites by spraying with pyrethrin or left unsprayed as control nests. Within each nest, chicks were randomly orally treated with either an antihelminthic medication (fenbendazole) or sterile water as control treatment. We investigated treatment effects on plasma (1) total antioxidant capacity TAC (an index of nonenzymatic circulating antioxidant defenses), (2) total oxidant status TOS (a measure of plasmatic oxidants), and (3) immunoglobulin levels (a measure of humoral immune function). Treatment against ectoparasites led to a reduction in circulating immunoglobulin plasma levels in male chicks. TOS was higher when not receiving any parasite reduction treatment and when receiving both endo- and ectoparasitic reduction treatment compared with receiving only one treatment. TAC was higher in all treatment groups, when compared to controls. Despite the relatively low sample size, this experimental study suggests complex but similar relationships between treatment groups and oxidative status and immunoglobulin levels in two raptor species.
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Unit for Arctic Ecology, Fram Centre N-9296, Tromsø, Norway.
Sveinn Are
SA
Hanssen
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Unit for Arctic Ecology, Fram Centre N-9296, Tromsø, Norway.
Jan Ove
JO
Bustnes
Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research, Soil, Water and Environment Division Fr. A. Dahlsvei 20, N-1432, Ås, Norway.
Lisbeth
L
Schnug
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Unit for Arctic Ecology, Fram Centre N-9296, Tromsø, Norway.
Sophie
S
Bourgeon
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Unit for Arctic Ecology, Fram Centre N-9296, Tromsø, Norway.
Trond Vidar
TV
Johnsen
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Unit for Arctic Ecology, Fram Centre N-9296, Tromsø, Norway.
Manuel
M
Ballesteros
Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
Christian
C
Sonne
Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Fram Centre N-9296, Tromsø, Norway.
Dorte
D
Herzke
Ethology Research Group, Department of Biology and Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Igor
I
Eulaers
Ethology Research Group, Department of Biology and Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium ; Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) 7491, Trondheim, Norway.
Veerle L B
VL
Jaspers
Ethology Research Group, Department of Biology and Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Adrian
A
Covaci
Ethology Research Group, Department of Biology and Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Marcel
M
Eens
Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research Tungasletta 2, N-7485, Trondheim, Norway.
Duncan J
DJ
Halley
Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Marine Genomics group, University of Nordland N-8049, Bodø, Norway.
Truls
T
Moum
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Unit for Arctic Ecology, Fram Centre N-9296, Tromsø, Norway.
Rolf Anker
RA
Ims
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Unit for Arctic Ecology, Fram Centre N-9296, Tromsø, Norway.
Kjell Einar
KE
Erikstad
Costs of parasitism; immunoecology; immunoglobulin; oxidative status.