title: Occurrence of blood parasites in seabirds admitted for rehabilitation in the Western Cape, South Africa, 2001-2013.
abstract: Blood parasites are generally uncommon in seabirds, and knowledge on their epidemiology is further limited by the fact that they often inhabit remote locations that are logistically difficult or expensive to study. We present a long term data set of blood smear examinations of 1909 seabirds belonging to 27 species that were admitted to a rehabilitation centre in Cape Town (Western Cape, South Africa) between 2001 and 2013. Blood parasites were detected in 59% of species (16/27) and 29% of individuals examined (551/1909). The following blood parasites were recorded: Babesia ugwidiensis, Babesia peircei, Babesia sp., Plasmodium sp., Leucocytozoon ugwidi, Hepatozoon albatrossi, Haemoproteus skuae and Spirochaetales. Several of the records are novel host-parasite associations, demonstrating the potential of rehabilitation centres for parasite and disease surveillance, particularly for species infrequently sampled from which no host-specific parasites have been described.
authors.affiliation: Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), P.O. Box 11116, Bloubergrant, 7443, South Africa; Bayworld Centre for Research and Education, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Electronic address: nolaparsons@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.affiliation: Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), P.O. Box 11116, Bloubergrant, 7443, South Africa.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Voogt
authors.affiliation: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Florida Atlantic University, 5600U.S. 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USA.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.affiliation: MP International Consultancy, 6 Normandale House, Normandale, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN39 3NZ, UK; International Reference Centre for Avian Hematozoa, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Peirce
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology (LAPCOM), University of São Paulo, Avenida Professor Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil; Marine Apex Predator Research Unit (MAPRU), Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, 6031, South Africa.
authors.forename: R E T
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Vanstreels
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D001717:Birds / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D013019:South Africa; D013144:Spirochaetales / Q000502:physiology; D013145:Spirochaetales Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Cape cormorant; Cape gannet; Epidemiology; Haemosporida; Marine fauna; Pathology