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Are multiple gametocyte infections in malarial parasites an adaptation to ensure fertility?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 September 2005

J. MARTÍNEZ-DE LA PUENTE ,
S. MERINO ,
G. TOMÁS ,
J. MORENO ,
J. MORALES  and
E. LOBATO
J. MARTÍNEZ-DE LA PUENTE
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, J. Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
S. MERINO
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, J. Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
G. TOMÁS
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, J. Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
J. MORENO
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, J. Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
J. MORALES
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, J. Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
E. LOBATO
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, J. Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
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Abstract

Multiple infections, those by more than one parasite in the same erythrocyte, may be adaptive for the malarial parasite as a means to ensure fertility. Alternatively they may simply be the consequence of a non-adaptive process forcing several parasites to compete for resources in one host cell. Avian hosts infected with Haemoproteus were medicated with primaquine or injected with saline solution and the density of infection and number, maturity and sex of mature multiple infections counted. Multiple infections depend on density of infection, and maturity is attained rarely and usually by gametocytes of the same sex. The role of multiple infections for fertility insurance is not supported by these results.

Keywords

Haemoproteusmultiple infectionsParus caeruleussexual stagestransmission
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 132 , Issue 1 , January 2006 , pp. 23 - 28
Copyright
© 2005 Cambridge University Press

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