Hematozoa of hatch-year common mergansers from Michigan

J Wildl Dis. 2001 Apr;37(2):403-7. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-37.2.403.

Abstract

Fifty-five hatch-year common mergansers (Mergus merganser) were sampled for hematozoa from Douglas Lake (Michigan, USA) on 17 July 1995. Forty-one (75%) were infected with hematozoa. Haemoproteus greineri and Leucocytozoon simondi were common, infecting 28 (51%) and 26 (47%) common mergansers, respectively. Plasmodium circumflexum infected two (4%) birds. The common merganser is a new host record for H. greineri and P. circumflexum. Intensity data indicate possible negative interspecific interaction between H. greineri and L. simondi.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Birds / parasitology*
  • Haemosporida / isolation & purification*
  • Michigan / epidemiology
  • Plasmodium / isolation & purification
  • Protozoan Infections, Animal / epidemiology*