Screening Wild Birds for Tick-Borne Zoonotic Pathogens in Portugal
Wild birds may be involved in the transmission of agents of infectious diseases, including zoonoses, a circumstance which raises a number of public and animal health issues. Migratory bird species play a significant role in the introduction of tick-borne pathogens to new geographic areas, contributi...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/1/75 |
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| author | Filipa Loureiro João R. Mesquita Luís Cardoso Sérgio Santos-Silva Guilherme Moreira Jaqueline T. Bento Vanessa Soeiro Andreia Gonçalves Filipe Silva Patrícia F. Barradas Ana C. Matos Manuela Matos Ana Cláudia Coelho |
| author_facet | Filipa Loureiro João R. Mesquita Luís Cardoso Sérgio Santos-Silva Guilherme Moreira Jaqueline T. Bento Vanessa Soeiro Andreia Gonçalves Filipe Silva Patrícia F. Barradas Ana C. Matos Manuela Matos Ana Cláudia Coelho |
| author_sort | Filipa Loureiro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Wild birds may be involved in the transmission of agents of infectious diseases, including zoonoses, a circumstance which raises a number of public and animal health issues. Migratory bird species play a significant role in the introduction of tick-borne pathogens to new geographic areas, contributing to the dissemination of various etiological agents. This preliminary study aimed to assess the occurrence of four potentially zoonotic pathogens (<i>Hepatozoon</i> spp., <i>Borrelia</i> spp., <i>Babesia</i> spp. and <i>Theileria</i> spp.) in the wild birds of Portugal. Blood and tissue samples were taken from 103 birds admitted at wildlife rehabilitation centers. Through the use of conventional PCR, our findings indicate no evidence of the circulation of these pathogens among the studied bird populations in the region. In the One Health context, it is relevant to understand how faraway avian populations play a role in the epidemiology of infectious diseases. Further molecular studies are needed to deepen the knowledge of avian piroplasmosis, borreliosis and hepatozoonosis. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-423f63c030e6489994f82b791a9f8ab9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj-art-423f63c030e6489994f82b791a9f8ab92025-01-24T13:44:48ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172025-01-011417510.3390/pathogens14010075Screening Wild Birds for Tick-Borne Zoonotic Pathogens in PortugalFilipa Loureiro0João R. Mesquita1Luís Cardoso2Sérgio Santos-Silva3Guilherme Moreira4Jaqueline T. Bento5Vanessa Soeiro6Andreia Gonçalves7Filipe Silva8Patrícia F. Barradas9Ana C. Matos10Manuela Matos11Ana Cláudia Coelho12Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (CRAS), Veterinary Teaching Hospital (HVUTAD), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, PortugalSchool of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, PortugalAnimal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, PortugalSchool of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, PortugalSchool of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, PortugalSchool of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, PortugalBiological Park of Gaia (PBG), Rua da Cunha, 4430-812 Vila Nova de Gaia, PortugalWildlife Rehabilitation Centre of Santo André (CRASSA), Quercus ANCN, Moinho Novo, Galiza, 7500-022 Vila Nova de Santo André, PortugalWildlife Rehabilitation Centre (CRAS), Veterinary Teaching Hospital (HVUTAD), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, PortugalEpidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, 4050-600 Porto, PortugalResearch Centre for Natural Resources, Environment and Society (CERNAS), Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6000-767 Castelo Branco, PortugalCentre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, PortugalAnimal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, PortugalWild birds may be involved in the transmission of agents of infectious diseases, including zoonoses, a circumstance which raises a number of public and animal health issues. Migratory bird species play a significant role in the introduction of tick-borne pathogens to new geographic areas, contributing to the dissemination of various etiological agents. This preliminary study aimed to assess the occurrence of four potentially zoonotic pathogens (<i>Hepatozoon</i> spp., <i>Borrelia</i> spp., <i>Babesia</i> spp. and <i>Theileria</i> spp.) in the wild birds of Portugal. Blood and tissue samples were taken from 103 birds admitted at wildlife rehabilitation centers. Through the use of conventional PCR, our findings indicate no evidence of the circulation of these pathogens among the studied bird populations in the region. In the One Health context, it is relevant to understand how faraway avian populations play a role in the epidemiology of infectious diseases. Further molecular studies are needed to deepen the knowledge of avian piroplasmosis, borreliosis and hepatozoonosis.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/1/75<i>Babesia</i><i>Borrelia</i><i>Hepatozoon</i>PCRpiroplasmsPortugal |
| spellingShingle | Filipa Loureiro João R. Mesquita Luís Cardoso Sérgio Santos-Silva Guilherme Moreira Jaqueline T. Bento Vanessa Soeiro Andreia Gonçalves Filipe Silva Patrícia F. Barradas Ana C. Matos Manuela Matos Ana Cláudia Coelho Screening Wild Birds for Tick-Borne Zoonotic Pathogens in Portugal Pathogens <i>Babesia</i> <i>Borrelia</i> <i>Hepatozoon</i> PCR piroplasms Portugal |
| title | Screening Wild Birds for Tick-Borne Zoonotic Pathogens in Portugal |
| title_full | Screening Wild Birds for Tick-Borne Zoonotic Pathogens in Portugal |
| title_fullStr | Screening Wild Birds for Tick-Borne Zoonotic Pathogens in Portugal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Screening Wild Birds for Tick-Borne Zoonotic Pathogens in Portugal |
| title_short | Screening Wild Birds for Tick-Borne Zoonotic Pathogens in Portugal |
| title_sort | screening wild birds for tick borne zoonotic pathogens in portugal |
| topic | <i>Babesia</i> <i>Borrelia</i> <i>Hepatozoon</i> PCR piroplasms Portugal |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/1/75 |
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