Bird parasitology and diseases

Climate-driven increase in transmission of wildlife malaria parasite over the last quarter century

The study shows climate warming has increased malaria parasite prevalence and transmission in blue tits over 26 years, with specific temperature windows driving the trend.

Immunogenetic diversity and haemosporidian parasitization in European bluethroats (Luscinia svecica): do diverse genes warrant fewer parasites?

The study examines immunogenetic diversity and haemosporidian parasitization in bluethroats, finding no significant link between genetic diversity and parasite prevalence.

Disease and ectoparasite management improve nestling golden eagle health and survival: An effective mitigation strategy

The paper shows that treating trichomonosis and reducing poultry bugs in golden eagle nests improves nestling survival and population growth.

Generalist malaria parasites and host imprinting: Unveiling transcriptional memory

This study investigates how the avian malaria parasite P. homocircumflexum adjusts its gene expression across different bird hosts, finding evidence for epigenetic inheritance and transcriptional plasticity.

Spatial and temporal variation in biting midge (Culicoides) abundance in active nest boxes

This study shows that rising temperatures increase biting midge abundance, leading to higher parasitemia in birds and affecting population dynamics.

Phenology underlies apparent urbanisation effects on avian malaria in juvenile songbirds

The paper examines how urbanisation affects avian malaria in juvenile songbirds, finding that earlier hatching reduces infection risk and urban effects arise from phenological differences.

The nutritional content of anthropogenic resources affects wildlife disease dynamics

The paper investigates how the nutritional quality of anthropogenic food affects disease transmission in wildlife, finding that lower quality food leads to larger epidemics and population declines.

Diet driven differences in host tolerance are linked to shifts in global gene expression in a common avian host-pathogen system

The paper examines how diet affects host tolerance to a bacterial pathogen in birds, finding that protein-fed birds show greater transcriptional priming and tolerance during recovery.

Host niche breadth differentially modulates the effects of anthropogenic disturbance across generalist and specialist parasites

The paper examines how host niche breadth influences parasite prevalence in disturbed vs. natural habitats, finding generalist parasites infect generalist hosts more frequently.

Prevalence and Diversity of Haemosporidian-Associated Matryoshka RNA Viruses in a Natural Population of Wild Birds

The paper identifies two novel Matryoshka RNA viruses in wild birds, showing their association with haemosporidian parasites and prevalence in infected birds.

Host-parasite interactions of an avian blood parasite elucidated by single-cell transcriptomics

The paper uses single-cell RNA sequencing to study host-parasite interactions in an avian blood parasite, revealing immune evasion strategies and immunosuppression by the parasite.

Pathogen priming alters host transmission potential and predictors of transmissibility in a wild songbird species

This study shows that prior pathogen exposure in house finches reduces transmission likelihood but does not eliminate it, especially with more transmissible strains.

Interactions between parasites within the host: helminth infection reduces lice abundance in feral pigeons (Columba livia)

This study shows that helminth infection in feral pigeons reduces lice abundance, suggesting inhibitory interactions between parasites, though the mechanism remains unclear.

Lead exposure positively affects coccidia abundance in feral pigeons (Columba livia)

This study finds that lead exposure increases coccidia abundance in male feral pigeons but not other parasites, suggesting lead may impair host antiparasitic defenses.

Impact of vertebrate host parasitaemia on Plasmodium development within mosquitoes

This study shows that higher parasite burden in vertebrate hosts leads to shorter extrinsic incubation periods in mosquitoes, but not increased transmissible stages.

Delayed post-juvenile moult in malaria-infected European blackcaps

This study finds that malaria-like infections in juvenile birds delay their post-juvenile moult, potentially reducing their fitness by prolonging the period of incomplete plumage.

Beyond immunity: a transcriptomic landscape of Plasmodium's modulation of mosquito metabolic pathways

This study examines how Plasmodium modulates mosquito metabolic pathways through transcriptomic analysis, revealing potential parasite-driven manipulation of host physiology.

Gut microbiome diversity associates with estimated lifetime and annual reproductive success in male but not female collared flycatchers

This study links gut microbiome diversity to reproductive success in male collared flycatchers but not females, using long-term monitoring data from wild birds.

Two avian Plasmodium species trigger different transcriptional responses on their vector Culex pipiens

The paper examines how two avian Plasmodium species induce distinct transcriptional responses in their mosquito vector Culex pipiens at different stages of infection.

Transcriptomic responses of Galapagos finches to avian pox virus infection

This study compares the transcriptomic responses of two Galapagos finch species to avian pox virus infection, finding differences in immune response and viral manipulation of host cells.

Avian haemosporidians (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) status in selected bird groups (Old world Flycatchers, Warblers, Babblers, and Thrushes) of India and their phylogenetic relationships with other lineages of the world

The paper examines the prevalence and phylogenetic relationships of avian haemosporidians in Indian bird species and their global lineages.

Genomic sequence capture of haemosporidian parasites: Methods and prospects for enhanced study of host-parasite evolution

The paper develops a sequence capture method to obtain nuclear loci from haemosporidian parasites in wild birds, improving phylogenetic resolution over mitochondrial DNA barcoding.

Complete avian malaria parasite genomes reveal features associated with lineage specific evolution in birds and mammals

The paper reports the genome sequencing of two avian malaria parasites and identifies lineage-specific features associated with their evolution in birds and mammals.