Prevalence of avian malaria parasite in mosquitoes collected at a zoological garden in Japan (original) (raw)

Abstract

Several species of captive birds at zoological gardens of Japan were found to be infected with avian Plasmodium. However, incriminated vector mosquito species have not been identified yet. To indicate the competent vectors of avian malaria parasite, we collected mosquitoes at a zoological garden in Japan and examined for the avian malaria parasite DNA. Totally, 1,361 mosquitoes of 11 species were collected in the zoological garden of Kanagawa, the south of Tokyo in Japan in 2005. Captured mosquitoes were pooled by each species, date collected, and location and used for DNA extraction. Eight out of 169 DNA samples were positive for the nested PCR of avian Plasmodium cyt b gene. Estimated minimum infection rates of mosquitoes were 5.9 per 1,000. The PCR positive mosquito species were Culex pipiens group and Lutzia vorax. Some DNA sequences amplified from collected mosquitoes were identical to avian Plasmodium lineages detected from captive birds in the same zoological garden studied. Our results suggest that C. pipiens group and L. vorax could be incriminated vectors of avian malaria parasite transmitting in captive birds kept in the zoological garden in Japan.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

• Starting from 10 chapters or articles per month
• Access and download chapters and articles from more than 300k books and 2,500 journals
• Cancel anytime View plans

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

• Alley MR, Fairley RA, Martin DG, Howe L, Atkinson T (2008) An outbreak of avian malaria in captive yellowheads/mohua (Mohoua ochrocephala). N Z Vet J 56:247–251
  CAS PubMed Google Scholar
• Anderson JF, Andreadis TG, Main AJ, Kline DL (2004) Prevalence of West Nile virus in tree canopy-inhabiting Culex pipiens and associated mosquitoes. Am J Trop Med Hyg 71:112–119
  PubMed Google Scholar
• Andreadis TG, Anderson JF, Vossbrinck CR (2001) Mosquito surveillance for West Nile virus in Connecticut, 2000: isolation from Culex pipiens, Cx. restuans, Cx. salinarius, and Culiseta melanura. Emerg Infect Dis 7:670–674
  Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
• Belo NO, Passos LF, Júnior LMC, Goulart CE, Sherlock TM, Braga EM (2009) Avian malaria in captive psittacine birds: Detection by microscopy and 18S rRNA gene amplification. Prev Vet Med 88:220–224
  Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
• Bennett GF (1987) Hematozoa. In: Burr EW (ed) Companion Bird Medicine. Ames Iowa, The Iowa State University Press, pp 120–128
  Google Scholar
• Bennett GF, Peirce MA, Ashford RW (1993) Avian haematozoa: mortality and pathogenecity. J Nat History 27:993–1001
  Article Google Scholar
• Clarke JR, Kerry KR (1993) Diseases and parasites of penguins. Korean J Polar Res 4:79–96
  Google Scholar
• Ejiri H, Sato Y, Sasaki E, Sumiyama D, Tsuda Y, Sawabe K, Matsui S, Horie S, Akatani K, Takagi M, Omori S, Murata K, Yukawa M (2008) Detection of avian Plasmodium spp. DNA sequences from mosquitoes captured in Minami Daito Island of Japan. J Vet Med Sci 70:1205–1210
  Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
• Fleischman RW, Squire RA, Sladen WJ, Melby EC Jr (1968) Malaria (Plasmodium elongatum) in captive African penguins (Spheniscus demersus). J Am Vet Med Assoc 153:928–935
  CAS PubMed Google Scholar
• Grim KC, McCutchan T, Li J, Sullivan M, Graczyk TK, McConkey G, Cranfield M (2004) Preliminary results of an anticircumsporozoite DNA vaccine trial for protection against avian malaria in captive African black-footed penguins (Spheniscus demersus). J Zoo Wildl Med 35:154–161
  Article PubMed Google Scholar
• Hagihara M, Yamaguchi T, Kitahara M, Hirai K, Murata K (2004) Leucocytozoon lovati infections in wild rock ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) in Japan. J Wildlife Dis 40:804–807
  Google Scholar
• Jones HI, Shellam GR (1999) Blood parasites in penguins, and their potential impact on conservation. Marine Ornithol 27:181–184
  Google Scholar
• Karoji Y, Sasaki O, Kuroda O, Karaki T (1980) Host-feeding patterns of Japanese mosquitoes II: A host-blood identification study daytime-resting Culex pipiens pallens in Kyoto, Japan. Jap J Sanit Zool 31:289–295
  Google Scholar
• Magnarelli LA (1977) Host feeding patterns of Connecticut mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). Am J Trop Med Hyg 26:547–552
  CAS PubMed Google Scholar
• Miyagi I (1977) On the mosquitoes of Minami and Kita Daito Islands of the Ryukyu Archipelago. Med Entomol Zool 28:245–247 (in Japanese with English summary)
  Google Scholar
• Murata K (2002) Prevalence of blood parasites in Japanese wild birds. J Vet Med Sci 64:785–790
  Article PubMed Google Scholar
• Murata K, Nii R, Sasaki E, Ishikawa S, Sato Y, Sawabe K, Tsuda Y, Matsumoto R, Suda A, Ueda M (2008a) Plasmodium (Bennettia) juxtanucleare infection in captive white eared-pheasant (Crossoption crossoptilon) at a Japanese Zoo. J Vet Med Sci 70:203–205
  Article PubMed Google Scholar
• Murata K, Nii R, Yui S, Sasaki E, Ishikawa S, Sato Y, Matsui S, Horie S, Akatani K, Takagi M, Sawabe K, Tsuda Y (2008b) Avian haemosporidian parasites infection in wild birds inhabiting Minami-Daito Island of the Northwest Pacific, Japan. J Vet Med Sci 70:501–503
  Article PubMed Google Scholar
• Nagata N (2006) Reevaluation of the prevalence of blood parasites in Japanese Passerines by using PCR based molecular diagnostics. Ornithol Sci 5:105–112
  Article Google Scholar
• Perkins SL, Schall JJ (2002) A molecular phylogeny of malarial parasites recovered from cytochrome b gene sequences. J Parasitol 88:972–978
  CAS PubMed Google Scholar
• Ramsey JM, Bown DN, Aron JL, Beaudoin RL, Mendez JF (1986) Field trial in Chiapas, Mexico, of a rapid detection method for malaria in anopheline vectors with low infection rates. Am J Trop Med Hyg 35:234–238
  CAS PubMed Google Scholar
• Sato Y, Tamada A, Mochizuki Y, Nakamura S, Okano E, Yoshida C, Ejiri H, Omori S, Yukawa M, Murata K (2009) Molecular detection of Leucocytozoon lovati from probable vectors, black flies (Simuliudae) collected in the alpine regions of Japan. Parasitol Res 104:251–255
  Article PubMed Google Scholar
• Shirotani A, Shibata A, Ejiri H, Sato Y, Tsuda Y, Hatakeyama Y, Iwano H, Murata K, Yukawa M (2009) Detection of avian malaria DNA from mosquitoes at Kanagawa in Japan. J Jpn Vet Assoc 62:73–79 (in Japanese with English summary)
  CAS Google Scholar
• Stokstad E (2004) Infectious diseases. Hawaii girds itself for arrival of West Nile virus. Science 306:603
  Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
• Tanaka K (1979) A revision of the adult and larval mosquitoes of Japan (including the Ryukyu Archipelago and the Ogasawara Islands) and Korea (Diptera: Culicidae). Contrib Am Ent Inst 16:1–981
  Google Scholar
• Toma T, Miyagi I (1986) The mosquito fauna of the Ryukyu Archipelago with identification keys, pupal descriptions and notes on biology, medical importance and distribution. Mosq Syst 18:1–109
  Google Scholar
• Tsuda Y, Higa Y, Kurahashi T, Hayashi T, Hoshino K, Komegata O, Isawa H, Kasai S, Sasaki K, Tomita T, Sawabe K, Nihei N, Kobayashi M (2006) Dry-ice trap collection of mosquitoes at urban areas surrounding Tokyo, Japan in 2003 and 2004. Med Entomol Zool 57:75–82 (in Japanese with English summary)
  Google Scholar
• Valkiūnas G (2005) Avian malaria parasites and other haemosporidia. CRC, Boca Raton
  Google Scholar
• White BJ, Andrew DR, Mans NZ, Ohajuruka OA, Garvin MC (2006) West Nile virus in mosquitoes of Northern Ohio, 2003. Am J Trop Med Hyg 75:346–349
  PubMed Google Scholar

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was partially supported by the Academic Frontier Project “Surveillance and control for zoonoses” and “High-Tech Research Center” Project for Private Universities: matching fund subsidy from Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, Global Environment Research Fund of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (F-062), and Nihon University Research Grants.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

1. Laboratory of Biomedical Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa, 252-8510, Japan
   Hiroko Ejiri, Yukita Sato, Risa Sawai, Sumie Omori & Masayoshi Yukawa
2. Laboratory of Wildlife Science, Department of Animal Resource Sciences, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa, 252-8510, Japan
   Emi Sasaki & Koichi Murata
3. Zoo Department, Yokohama Zoological Gardens, Yokohama, 242-0001, Japan
   Rei Matsumoto & Miya Ueda
4. Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan
   Yukiko Higa & Yoshio Tsuda

Authors

1. Hiroko Ejiri
2. Yukita Sato
3. Risa Sawai
4. Emi Sasaki
5. Rei Matsumoto
6. Miya Ueda
7. Yukiko Higa
8. Yoshio Tsuda
9. Sumie Omori
10. Koichi Murata
11. Masayoshi Yukawa

Corresponding author

Correspondence toYukita Sato.

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ejiri, H., Sato, Y., Sawai, R. et al. Prevalence of avian malaria parasite in mosquitoes collected at a zoological garden in Japan.Parasitol Res 105, 629–633 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-009-1434-9

Download citation

• Received: 20 February 2009
• Accepted: 24 March 2009
• Published: 08 April 2009
• Issue date: August 2009
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-009-1434-9

Keywords