English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Background  New World vultures (Cathartiformes: Cathartidae) are obligate scavengers comprised of seven species in five genera throughout the Americas. Of these, turkey vultures ( Cathartes aura ) and black vultures ( Coragyps atratus ) are the most widespread and, although ecologically similar, have evolved differences in morphology, physiology, and behaviour. Three species of haemosporidians have been reported in New World vultures to date:  Haemoproteus catharti ,  Leucocytozoon toddi  and  Plasmodium elongatum , although few studies have investigated haemosporidian parasites in this important group of species. In this study, morphological and molecular methods were used to investigate the epidemiology and molecular biology of haemosporidian parasites of New World vultures in North America.    Methods  Blood and/or tissue samples were obtained from 162 turkey vultures and 95 black vultures in six states of the USA. Parasites were identified based on their morphology in blood smears, and sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b and nuclear adenylosuccinate lyase genes were obtained for molecular characterization.    Results  No parasites were detected in black vultures, whereas 24% of turkey vultures across all sampling locations were positive for  H. catharti  by blood smear analysis and/or PCR testing. The phylogenetic analysis of cytochrome b gene sequences revealed that  H. catharti  is closely related to MYCAMH1, a yet unidentified haemosporidian from wood storks ( Mycteria americana ) in southeastern USA and northern Brazil.  Haemoproteus catharti  and MYCAMH1 represent a clade that is unmistakably separate from all other  Haemoproteus  spp., being most closely related to  Haemocystidium  spp. from reptiles and to  Plasmodium  spp. from birds and reptiles.    Conclusions   Haemoproteus catharti  is a widely-distributed parasite of turkey vultures in North America that is evolutionarily distinct from other haemosporidian parasites. These results reveal that the genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships of avian haemosporidians are still being uncovered, and future studies combining a comprehensive evaluation of morphological and life cycle characteristics with the analysis of multiple nuclear and mitochondrial genes will be useful to redefine the genus boundaries of these parasites and to re-evaluate the relationships amongst haemosporidians of birds, reptiles and mammals.    Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-017-2165-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Parasitaemia data and molecular characterization of Haemoproteus catharti from New World vultures (Cathartidae) reveals a novel clade of Haemosporida