Biodiversity of frog haemoparasites from sub-tropical northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Edward C. Netherlands, Courtney A. Cook, Donnavan J. Kruger,
Louis H. du Preez, Nico J. Smit
Journal: International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife
Figure 1. Haemoparasites from the peripheral blood of 15 frog species collected from three localities in
389 northern KwaZulu-Natal, stained with Giemsa stain (A-E) gamonts of Hepatozoon species; (F-G) primary and
390 secondary stage gamonts of Dactylosoma species; (H-J) Viral or viral like inclusions; (K) Microfilarid
391 nematode species; (L-T) Trypanosoma species. Scale bar: 10μm.
Abstract
Abstract: Since South Africa boasts a high biodiversity of frog species, a multispecies haemoparasite survey was conducted by, screening the blood from 29 species and 436 individual frogs. Frogs were collected at three localities in sub-tropical KwaZulu-Natal, a hotspot for frog diversity. Twenty percent of the frogs were infected with at least one of five groups of parasites recorded. Intraerythrocytic parasites comprising Hepatozoon, Dactylosoma, and viral-like organisms, as well as extracellular parasites including trypanosomes and microfilarid nematodes were found. A significant difference (P < 0.01) in the prevalence of parasitaemia was found across species, those semi-aquatic species demonstrating the highest, followed by semi-terrestrial frog species. None of those species described as purely terrestrial and aquatic were infected. Hepatozoon and Trypanosoma species accounted for most of the infections, the former demonstrating significant differences in intensity of infection across species, families and habitat types (P = 0.028; P = 0.006; P = 0.007 respectively). Per locality, the first, the formally protected Ndumo Game Reserve, had the highest biodiversity of haemoparasite infections, with all five groups of parasites recorded. The other two sites, that is the area bordering the reserve and the Kwa Nyamazane Conservancy, had a lower diversity with no parasite infections recorded and only Hepatozoon species recorded respectively. Such findings could be ascribed to the anthropogenic impact on the latter two sites, the first by the rural village activities, and the second by the bordering commercial sugar cane agriculture. Future studies should include both morphological and molecular descriptions of the above parasites, as well as the identification of potential vectors, possibly clarifying the effects human activities may have on frog haemoparasite life cycles and as such their biodiversity.
Keywords: amphibian; apicomplexan; blood parasite survey; frog haematozoans; haemoflagellate; microfilarid