Detection of Avian malaria (Plasmodium spp) in native land birds of American Samoa
Jarvi SI, Farias M, Baker H, Friefeld H, Baker P, Van Gelder E, Massey GJ, Atkinson C. 2003. Detection of Avian malaria (Plasmodium spp) in native land birds of American Samoa. Conservation Genetics. 4(5):629-637
This study documents the presence of Plasmodium spp. in landbirds of central Polynesia. Blood samples collected from eight native and introduced species from the island of Tutuila, American Samoa were evaluated for the presence of Plasmodium spp. by nested rDNA PCR and/or by microscopy. All 214 samples examined microscopically were negative, while fifty-nine percent (111/188) of those screened by nested PCR were positive. Detection of Plasmodium spp. was verified by nucleotide sequence comparisons of partial 18S rRNA and TRAP (thrombospondin-related anonymous protein) genes using phylogenetic analyses. The fact that malaria is present, but not detectable by blood smear evaluation is consistent with low peripheral parasitemia characteristic of chronic infections. High prevalence of chronic infections, the relative stability of the native land bird communities, and the presence of mosquito vectors which are considered endemic and capable of transmitting avian Plasmodia, suggest that these parasites have likely been present in American Samoa for a long time and may be part of a coevolved system rather than a relatively recent, human-assisted introduction as in Hawaii
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Jarvi, Susan; Farias, Margaret; Baker, Helen; Friefeld, Holly; Baker, Paul; Van Gelder, Ellen; Massey, Gregory; Atkinson, Carter
- Units
- NPSA , PACN
- Keywords
- American Samoa, avian malaria, Birds, Birds (Aves), Plasmodium, rRNA, thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP)