Blood parasites (Trypanosoma, Leucocytozoon, Haemoproteus) in the Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus): diversity, incidence and persistence of infection at the individual level.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A high prevalence of parasites may result from life-long persistence of infection or from high reinfection rates. We have studied blood parasites in a breeding population of the accipitrid raptor, Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), to determine parasite diversity and turnover.

Methods

During this 7-year study, 210 adult Eurasian sparrowhawks breeding in the city of Prague were checked for parasites using several diagnostic methods.

Results

In both female and male raptors, parasites of the genus Leucocytozoon were the most prevalent (92% and 85%, respectively) followed in decreasing order of prevalence by those of genus Trypanosoma (74% and 68%, respectively) and genus Haemoproteus (46% and 16%, respectively). The prevalence of all parasites increased w

SUBMITTER: Svobodova M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9840293 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature