Prevalence of Avian Malaria in some Protected Areas in Ghana
Date
2013-07
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Publisher
University of Ghana
Abstract
Differences in habitat types affect host-parasite interactions and can increase the risk of
epizootic outbreaks in wild populations. It is thought that parasitism is a necessary factor
in conservation biology and is important in understanding ecological parasitology and
vertebrate conservation management. The aim of this study was to estimate the
prevalence of avian malaria in forest and savanna birds. A total of 132 birds of 39 species
belonging to 20 families were trapped in two wildlife protected areas in Ghana (Kakum
National Park and Shai Hills Resource Reserve) and screened for the presence of the
haemoparasites, Plasmodium and Haemoproteus spp. A combination of microscopy and
PCR detected an overall prevalence of 45.4%. Comparatively, prevalence varied between
the two sites with a higher prevalence of 69.20% in Kakum National Park compared to
12.90% in Shai Hills Resource Reserve. Sequencing of the positive PCR amplicons
identified 20 mitochondrial lineages of 11 Plasmodium and 9 Haemoproteus lineages.
Plasmodium and Haemoproteus prevalences varied in both sites with Plasmodium
recording the highest prevalence in each site. The results of the study did not only
confirm the presence of avian malaria in the Ghanaian wildlife protected areas, but also
differences of these in the different habitats. The study also recommended that
investigations should be carried out in both dry and wet seasons as well as including more
study sites to make better comparison.
Description
Thesis (MPHIL)-University of Ghana, 2013