Mosquito identification and haemosporidian parasites detection in the enclosure of the African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) at the SANBI zoological garden.

ABSTRACT: The National Zoological Gardens (NZG) is a facility of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and the largest zoo in southern Africa. Among the 9000 captive animals kept by the NZG, is the endangered African penguin (Spheniscus demersus). There have been several post-mortem reports on deaths of penguins in the NZG due to haemosporidian infections, however, the haemosporidian lineages involved and possible insect vector are unknown. Haemosporidians are apicomplexan parasites that infect vertebrates through blood-sucking dipteran insects. Therefore, the current study aimed to identify mosquitoes that are potential vectors found within the African penguin enclosure as well as to detect the haemosporidian parasites from these insects using nested-PCR and real-time PCR

SUBMITTER: Taioe MO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7493043 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature