Diagnóstico e diversidade em Haemosporida dos gêneros Haemoproteus e Plasmodium em aves neotropicais

Abstract

Avian haemosporidian infections are widely distributed among wild birds but remain underreported in non-passerine species and in urban settings. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and diversity of Plasmodium spp. and Haemoproteus spp. in birds admitted to the Wild Animal Screening Center of Juiz de Fora (CETAS-JF), Minas Gerais, Brazil. We analyzed 46 birds from seven avian orders (Accipitriformes, Cathartiformes, Cariamiformes, Falconiformes, Galliformes, Piciformes, and Strigiformes) using both microscopic examination and molecular diagnostics (nestedPCR) targeting the mitochondrial cytb gene. The distribution of sampled orders was as follows: Piciformes (12 individuals; 26.08%), Strigiformes (11; 23.91%), Falconiformes (7; 15.21%), Cathartiformes and Accipitriformes (6 each; 13.04%), and Cariamiformes and Galliformes (2 each; 4.34%). Overall prevalence was 15.21% by microscopy and 52.17% by nested-PCR, with higher infection frequencies detected in the orders Cariamiformes, Galliformes, and Strigiformes. Phylogenetic analyses identified lineages of Haemoproteus spp. and Plasmodium spp., including first records for two threatened host species (Crax fasciolata and Pteroglossus bailloni). These results underscore the importance of integrating morphological and molecular diagnostic approaches and highlight the potential of wildlife rehabilitation centers as strategic sources for eco-epidemiological surveillance and the conservation of avifauna in urban and peri-urban landscapes.