Surveillance of avian malaria and related haemoparasites in common terns (Sterna hirundo) on the Atlantic coast of South America.

ABSTRACT: Haemosporidia (Apicomplexa, Haemosporida) are protozoa that infect vertebrate blood cells and are transmitted by vectors. Among vertebrates, birds possess the greatest diversity of haemosporidia, historically placed in 3 genera: Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon and Plasmodium, the causative agent of avian malaria. In South America, existing data on haemosporidia are spatially and temporally dispersed, so increased surveillance is needed to improve the determination and diagnosis of these parasites. During the non-breeding season in 2020 and 2021, 60 common terns (Sterna hirundo) were captured and bled as part of ongoing research on the population health of migratory birds on the Argentinian Atlantic coast. Blood samples and blood smears were obtained. Fifty-eight sam

SUBMITTER: Capasso S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10260293 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature