title: Avian Hemosporidian Parasite Lineages in Four Species of Free-ranging Migratory Waterbirds from Mongolia, 2008.
abstract: Avian hemosporidian parasites have been detected in Asia, but little information is known about the hemosporidian parasite lineages that circulate in waterbirds that migrate along the East Asian and Central Asian migratory flyways to breed in Mongolia. To gather baseline data on hemosporidian parasite presence in Mongolian waterbirds, 151 blood-spot samples (81 hatch year [HY] and 70 after hatch year [AHY]) from Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus), Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea), Great Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax carbo ), and Mongolian Gull (Larus mongolicus) were screened for three genera of apicomplexan parasites, Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon, using nested PCR. Of these, 17 samples (11%, 95% confidence interval: 7.1-17.4%), representing all four species, were positive. We identified 10 species (six Plasmodium, one Haemoproteus, and three Leucocytozoon) through mitochondrial DNA sequencing of the cytochrome b gene and BLAST analysis. One lineage shared 100% nucleotide identity to a hemosporidian parasite lineage that has been previously identified as Plasmodium relictum (SGS1). Six lineages were found in AHY birds and five in HY birds, the latter confirming that infection with some of the identified hemosporidian parasites occurred on the breeding grounds. Our data provide important baseline information on hemosporidian parasite lineages found in AHY waterbirds that breed and migrate through Mongolia as well as in HY offspring.
authors.affiliation: 1 Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, New York 10460, USA;
authors.forename: Tracie A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Seimon
authors.affiliation: 1 Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, New York 10460, USA;
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.affiliation: 1 Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, New York 10460, USA;
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neabore
authors.affiliation: 1 Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, New York 10460, USA;
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hollinger
authors.affiliation: 1 Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, New York 10460, USA;
authors.forename: Ania
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomaszewicz
authors.affiliation: 1 Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, New York 10460, USA;
authors.forename: Alisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.affiliation: 2 The Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, New York 10461, USA;
authors.forename: Tylis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: 1 Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, New York 10460, USA;
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McAloose
mesh_terms: D025041:Animal Migration; D000818:Animals; D016782:Apicomplexa / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology*; D001717:Birds / Q000469:parasitology*; D008986:Mongolia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D053833:Wetlands
keywords: Anser indicus; Haemoproteus; Larus mongolicus; Leucocytozoon; Phalacrocorax carbo; Plasmodium; Tadorna ferruginea