Lack of evidence of vertical transmission of Karyolysus blood parasites in Iberian green lizards (Lacerta schreiberi)

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

Pilar López¹  José Martín²  Viktória Majláthová³  Igor Majláth³  Renáta Kopena⁴ 

[1] Corresponding author. Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Institute of Ecology and Botany, ELKH Centre for Ecological Research, H-2163, Vácrátót, Alkotmány u. 2-4, Hungary.;Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006, Madrid, Spain;Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006, Madrid, Spain;Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Institute of Ecology and Botany, ELKH Centre for Ecological Research, H-2163, Vácrátót, Alkotmány u. 2-4., Hungary;

关键词: Vertical transmission;    Karyolysus;    Blood parasite;    Lacerta schreiberi;    Lizard;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

To understand the spread of parasite and the persistence of infection in an ecological environment, it is essential to investigate their transmission possibilities. Vertical transmission of pathogens from mother to offspring is a fundamental opportunity, notwithstanding a relatively under-researched topic, especially in wildlife animals. We studied whether there is vertical transmission of a haemogregarinid blood parasite of Iberian green lizard (Lacerta schreiberi). To study infection of mothers, embryos and freshly hatched juveniles, their blood smears and molecular analyses of their tail tissue were used. Examining blood smears, seventy-one percent of females were found to be infected, but molecular analyses of all mothers showed positive results for the blood parasite. Based on molecular data the parasite was identified as a Karyolysus species. In contrast, no parasite was found in the blood smears of the freshly hatched juveniles, and we could not detect Karyolysus in the embryos or tail tissue of offspring using molecular methods either. Based on our results, vertical transmission of Karyolysus blood parasites is unlikely in the Iberian green lizard.

【 授权许可】

Unknown