Salmonella, Lignieres, 1900

Astudillo, Viviana González, Hernández, Sonia M., Kistler, Whitney M., Boone, Shaun L., Lipp, Erin K., Shrestha, Sudip & Yabsley, Michael J., 2013, Spatial, temporal, molecular, and intraspecific differences of haemoparasite infection and relevant selected physiological parameters of wild birds in Georgia, USA, International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 2 (1), pp. 178-189 : 181-182

3.1. Prevalence of haemoparasites and Salmonella by species

A total of 786 birds of 53 species were sampled, including 381 birds of the five target species ( Tables 2 and 3). All Carolina Wrens were negative for haemoparasites. Among the four target species infected with parasites, the prevalence of Haemoproteus was significantly higher in Northern Cardinals compared to Indigo Buntings (p = 0.0011) and Tufted Titmice (p = 0.0041) while prevalence in White-throated Sparrows was significantly higher than Indigo Buntings (p = 0.024) ( Table 2). For Plasmodium , significantly higher prevalences were noted in Tufted Titmice and Northern Cardinals compared to the other species (all p <0.032). Among the three infected species, Leucocytozoon prevalence was highest in White-throated Sparrows (p = 0.0075 and 0.0508 respectively). Prevalence of Trypanosoma was significantly higher in Tufted Titmice compared to the other three species (p = 0.027, 0.0061, and 0.0076). No differences were noted in the prevalence of microfilaria.

No differences in prevalence were noted for any parasite species between male and female or between after hatch year (adult) and HY Northern Cardinals. Also, no differences were noted in prevalence of any parasite genus between adult and HY for Indigo Buntings and Tufted Titmice. For White-throated Sparrows, no differences between age classes were noted for Haemoproteus and Plasmodium , but significantly more adults (n = 67, 18%) were infected with Leucocytozoon compared to HY (n = 24, 0%).

Although limited analyses were conducted on the non-target species because of limited sample sizes or distribution among capture sites, great variability was noted in prevalence of infection for the five haemoparasites ( Table 3). Prevalences of Haemoproteus and Plasmodium were generally higher and no single species of the non-target species was infected with all five groups of parasites.

Only five birds (one Northern Cardinal, one Brown-headed Cowbird ( Molothrus ater ), one European Starling ( Sturnus vulgaris ), one House Sparrow ( Passer domesticus ), and one Great-crested Flycatcher ( Myiarchus crinitus ) were positive for Salmonella spp. Of these, only the Great-crested Flycatcher was positive for a haemoparasite (microfilaria). Because of the low prevalence, no additional comparisons were possible.