Work

The Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Avian Malaria in Wild Birds in the Republic of Korea

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: With avian malaria threatening populations of wild birds, this study was conducted to determine its prevalence among wild birds rescued in Jeonbuk state in the Republic of Korea. A total of 1043 wild birds were included in this study from 2017 to 2022. Both quantitative polymerase chain reaction and conventional polymerase chain reaction were used. Plasmodium spp. were detected in 75 of the 1043 (7.19%) wild birds. Plasmodium spp. were detected every year, and their prevalence was significantly higher in winter and winter migratory birds (p < 0.05). The Plasmodium spp. detected in wild birds were confirmed to have 30 different lineages. The most frequently detected species was Plasmodium circumflexum (cytochrome b lineage SW5 and TURDUS1), which is known to prefer cold. In this study, the Plasmodium spp. detected in the Republic of Korea were found to contain a high proportion of species preferring colder climates. This suggested that the monitoring of Plasmodium spp. in the Republic of Korea should be conducted year round, with a focus on monitoring migratory birds coming from colder climates. Ongoing monitoring and research are needed to understand the impact of Plasmodium spp. on wild bird populations.

Source: Animals

DOI: 10.3390/ani15070957

Authors: Myeongsu Kim, Zun Zun Wut Hmohn, Jae-Ik Han

Institution: Jeonbuk National University

Language: English

Topic: Bird parasitology and diseases

Subfield: Parasitology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896