British birds are being increasingly detected with malaria. Two decades back few British species showed regular signs of infection but now some 30 types are infected, monitoring projects have found. The problem is linked to a rapid growth in mosquito populations, which is attributed to a rise of about 1 degrees centigrade in global average temperature, say experts.
Reports from Laszlo Garamszegi, of the Doñana biological station near Seville in Spain reveals that the proportion of house sparrows infected has risen from less than 10 per cent to 30 per cent. He carried out malaria infection analysis into over 3,000 species around the world, comparing recent information to that dating back to 1944. The study is published in the journal Global Change Biology. He said, “It does show trends we ought to be worried about.”
Experts however add that the avian version of malaria by the parasite that infects birds, Plasmodium relictum cannot be passed to humans. Ben Sheldon, professor of ornithology at Oxford University, said, “There is very convincing evidence that a wide range of biological processes are altering in response to climate change.”
Like humans, birds are able to develop resistance to malaria, and indeed most infected birds do survive. However, the resulting loss of red blood cells may weaken them, making them more susceptible to other forms of disease. And malaria is not the only problem facing Britain's birdlife. Salmonella, avian tuberculosis and the respiratory disease trichomonosis have also wreaked havoc amongst birds.
"Copy-paste" genetic mechanism increases the genetic diversity of malaria parasite