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Vector abundance determines Trypanosoma prevalence in nestling blue tits

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 April 2013

J. MARTÍNEZ–DE LA PUENTE ,
J. MARTÍNEZ ,
J. RIVERO-DE-AGUILAR ,
S. DEL CERRO  and
S. MERINO
J. MARTÍNEZ–DE LA PUENTE*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), C\ José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2. E-28006, Madrid, Spain
J. MARTÍNEZ
Affiliation:
Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
J. RIVERO-DE-AGUILAR
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), C\ José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2. E-28006, Madrid, Spain
S. DEL CERRO
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), C\ José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2. E-28006, Madrid, Spain
S. MERINO
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), C\ José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2. E-28006, Madrid, Spain
*
*Corresponding author. Departamento de Ecología de Humedales, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), C/ Américo Vespucio, s/n. E-41092, Seville, Spain. E-mail: jmp@ebd.csic.es
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Summary

The effect of insect vectors on avian exposure to infection by pathogens remains poorly studied. Here, we used an insect repellent treatment to reduce the number of blood-sucking flying insects in blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus nests and examined its effect on nestling health status measured as body mass, nestling phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) response and blood parasite prevalence. We found that (i) the insect repellent treatment significantly reduced the number of blood-sucking flying insects in nests and (ii) the number of blood-sucking flying insects had a significant effect on the prevalence of the blood parasite Trypanosoma independently of the treatment. In addition, we found support for an adverse effect of parasite infections on nestling PHA response. Nestlings infected by Trypanosoma mounted a weaker response against PHA than non-parasitized ones. In addition, the number of blowflies in the nest was negatively associated with nestling PHA response. Overall, we found support for the hypothesis that blood-sucking flying insects attacking nestlings increase their exposure to parasite infections. Our results further substantiate the adverse effect of parasites on nestling condition.

Keywords

biting midge Culicoidesblack fliesLeucocytozoonPHA response
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 140 , Issue 8 , July 2013 , pp. 1009 - 1015
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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