Abstract

SALAZAR-BORUNDA, Manuel et al. Prevalence and blood parasitaemia of Eurasian Collared Doves (Streptopelia decaocto) and Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) in Durango, Mexico. Abanico vet [online]. 2022, vol.12, 401.  Epub Oct 31, 2022. ISSN 2448-6132.  https://doi.org/10.21929/abavet2022.4.

Blood parasitism in Mexican birds is an impoverished-studied phenomenon, and its presence in many species of birds is unknown. In this study, the prevalence and parasitaemia of hemosporidia were compared in the breeding (wet) and non-breeding (dry) seasons in the Eurasian collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto) and Mourning ones (Zenaida macroura) in northern Mexico. The blood of 40 birds of each species collected between 2013 and 2014, was analyzed. The diagnosis of hemoparasites was made by microscopy and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques. The prevalence of hemoparasites was 87.5% (CI 95% = 78.3-93.3). The mean parasitaemia was 7.03 (CI 95% = 5.68- 9.04) hemoparasites per 10,000 infected erythrocytes. The prevalence and parasitaemia were higher for Haemoproteus sp. than for Plasmodium sp and microfilariae. The prevalence rates did not vary between bird species, nor between times of the year. However, seasonality seems to be an important factor in parasitaemia. The species that obtained the highest rates of parasitaemia was Z. macoura. More studies are needed to understand the mechanisms that associate parasitaemia in this species with respect to other columbiform species.

Keywords : Streptopelia decaocto; Zenaida macroura; seasonal variation; Haemoproteus; Plasmodium..