Introduction

Introduction

• Haemosporidians are vector-born blood parasites that infect various vertebrates via the feeding of insects like mosquitos, biting midges, and black flies.

• Birds are hosts to some of the most common Haemosporidian genera, including Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon.

Plasmodium and Haemoproteus infect erythrocytes.

Leucocytozoon infects leukocytes.

Research Questions

• What affect does weight have on the presence of haemosporidian parasites?

• Do the body measurements of a bird have an affect on the presence of haemosporidian parasites? 

Methods

• Small blood samples and body measurements were collected at the Avian Research and Education Institute (AREI) banding station at Hueston Woods State Park, Oxford, OH.

• DNA was extracted from blood samples using the Qiagen DNeasy Blood & Tissue kit to remove proteins, lipids, fats, RNA, etc. This isolates the DNA needed for PCR.

• PCR was performed to amplify the DNA. Nested PCR was performed to amplify the genetic material of the parasites. 

• The amplified DNA was run through a gel to identify if parasite DNA was present. Positive samples were sequenced.

• Samples were Sanger sequenced and data was compiled in a chromatogram.

• DNA sequences were put into BLAST and identified. This data was collected and analyzed to find correlations between infection and bird characteristics.