Hidden Plasmodium diversity revealed in southeastern Asian passerines using next-generation amplicon sequencing
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F25%3A00639443" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/25:00639443 - isvavai.cz</a>
Alternative codes found
RIV/60076658:12310/25:43909849
Result on the web
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100319" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100319</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100319" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100319</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Hidden Plasmodium diversity revealed in southeastern Asian passerines using next-generation amplicon sequencing
Original language description
Monitoring haemosporidian (Genus Plasmodium) infections in passerine birds is essential for understanding the intricate dynamics of avian malaria and its implications for ecology and evolution of avian populations. In this study, we investigated the prevalence and diversity of malaria infections caused by Plasmodium species in three passerine species in Cat-Tien National Park, Vietnam. Using next-generation amplicon sequencing (NGS) of haemosporidian cytochrome b gene, we identified two known and ten novel Plasmodium lineages. Our genetic analysis revealed a high rate of Plasmodium infections in the little spiderhunter (Arachnothera longirostra, Nectariniidae), the white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus, Muscicapidae) and the blue-winged pitta (Pitta moluccensis, Pittidae). Species delimitation methods identified five distinct operational taxonomic units (OTUs), consistently across the majority of the used methods. Each of the passerine species was infected with a specific subset of the total Plasmodium diversity. Phylogenetic analysis showed that sympatric Plasmodium OTUs are not closely related and possess overlapping host preferences. Our findings may reflect differences in habitat use, such as the vertical strata occupied by different bird species, which contribute to varying exposure levels to suitable vectors, thereby influencing infection rates and parasite diversity. Our findings corroborate the view that avian malaria parasites are not uniformly opportunistic, rather, their distribution is filtered by host identity and ecology. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for avian conservation and broader ecological studies, as avian malaria serves as a model for studying parasite-vector-host co-evolution and the impact of environmental changes on disease dynamics.
Czech name
—
Czech description
—
Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
—
OECD FORD branch
30310 - Parasitology
Result continuities
Project
—
Continuities
I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases
ISSN
2667-114X
e-ISSN
2667-114X
Volume of the periodical
8
Issue of the periodical within the volume
SEP 2025
Country of publishing house
NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS
Number of pages
12
Pages from-to
100319
UT code for WoS article
001577756900001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-105016474246