Evidence for strain-specific virulence of Trichomonas gallinae in African columbiformes.

ABSTRACT: Infection by parasites or pathogens can have marked physiological impacts on individuals. In birds, infection may affect moult and feather growth, which is an energetically demanding time in the annual cycle. Previous work has suggested a potential link between clinically visible Trichomonas gallinae infection and wing length in turtle doves Streptopelia turtur arriving on breeding grounds. First, T. gallinae infection was characterized in 149 columbids from 5 species, sampled on turtle dove wintering grounds in Senegal during the moulting period, testing whether infection by T. gallinae is linked to moult. Trichomonas gallinae prevalence was 100%, so rather than testing for differences between infected and uninfected birds, we tested for differences in m

SUBMITTER: Dunn JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10090629 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature