Epizootiology of Haemoproteus meleagridis (Protozoa: Haemosporina) in Florida: Seasonal Transmission and Vector Abundance

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The natural transmission of Haemoproteus meleagridis was studied over a 2-yr period in northern and southern Florida with domestic sentinel turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo L.). Transmission began in mid-April in northern Florida with onset of warmer weather and continued with occasional interruptions until the beginning of cooler winter weather in January; transmission in the warmer, subtropical climate of southern Florida continued at high levels throughout the year. Exposures in southern Florida as short as 24 h were sufficient to infect 100% of sentinel birds. Biting and light-trap collections of Culicoides capable of complete sporogonic development of the parasite were made during each sentinel exposure. Culicoides edeni Wirth & Blanton was active throughout periods of natural transmission of H. meleagridis, whereas Culicoides hinmani Khalaf, C. arboricola Root & Hoffman, and C. knowltoni Beck were absent or inactive during cooler winter months when significant transmission occurred. The epizootiology of H. meleagridis in southern Florida is similar to stable holoendemic human malaria, where transmission may occur at high levels throughout the year. By contrast, transmission in the more temperate climate of northern Florida more closely resembled unstable, hyperendemic malaria, where variations in environmental conditions, host density, and vector abundance may cause wide fluctuations in the incidence of infection.