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West Nile Virus in northern cardinals: antibody patterns and fitness consequences

Marshall, James S
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1157135336

Abstract Details

2006, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology.
West Nile virus (WNV) is a single-stranded RNA virus in the family Flaviviridae that first appeared in North America in 1999, and in Ohio in 2001. From 2002 to 2005, I examined the patterns of WNV antibody seroprevalence in Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), the ability of female cardinals to pass WNV antibodies to their offspring, the fitness consequences of a previous WNV infection, and the role of innate immunity in response to infection. Over the three years of the study, WNV antibody seroprevalence was 36% in female cardinals, and 21% in male cardinals. Most females lost antibodies after one year. In three summers, 44 female cardinals produced 59 nests with fledglings. Thirty of the females were seronegative, 13 were seropositive, and one was seropositive in the last of three years. None of these birds raised a seropositive nestling, and none of 23 other nestlings tested positive for WNV IgM antibodies. Although survival measures for female cardinals were slightly higher for seronegative than seropositive birds, there was no significant effect of seroprevalence on cardinal survival. Previous WNV infection also did not significantly influence the percentage of females fledging at least one nestling. Seropositive females, however, had half as many nestlings as seronegative females (0.90 ± 0.26 vs. 1.71 ± 0.24), and fledged half as many young as seronegative birds (0.84 ± 0.18 vs. 1.64 ± 0.23). These results suggest that female cardinals who survive WNV infection trade their survival for some reproductive success. In a related study of Downy Woodpeckers (Picoides pubescens), I found that wintering birds provided with supplemental food had greater ability to kill bacteria than unsupplemented birds. The ability to kill bacteria significantly decreased through the winter. Because innate immunity is crucial in the immune response to WNV, the results suggest that birds under greater energy stress may have a reduced immune response to WNV infection. The results also suggest that seasonal changes in hormone levels may compromise immune response. Overall, these studies emphasize the potential importance of Northern Cardinals in WNV transmission cycles, as well as the potential role of innate immunity in responses to infection.
Thomas Grubb, Jr. (Advisor)
West Nile virus; Northern Cardinal; seroprevalence; antibodies; innate immunity; Downy Woodpecker

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Marshall, J. S. (2006). West Nile Virus in northern cardinals: antibody patterns and fitness consequences [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1157135336

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Marshall, James. West Nile Virus in northern cardinals: antibody patterns and fitness consequences. 2006. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1157135336.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Marshall, James. "West Nile Virus in northern cardinals: antibody patterns and fitness consequences." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1157135336

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1157135336
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© 2006, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.