Environmental stress increases the prevalence and intensity of blood parasite infection in the common lizard Lacerta vivipara

Citation
A. Oppliger et al., Environmental stress increases the prevalence and intensity of blood parasite infection in the common lizard Lacerta vivipara, ECOL LETT, 1(2), 1998, pp. 129-138
Citations number
55
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology
Journal title
ECOLOGY LETTERS
ISSN journal
1461-023X → ACNP
Volume
1
Issue
2
Year of publication
1998
Pages
129 - 138
Database
ISI
SICI code
1461-023X(199809)1:2<129:ESITPA>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
Parasites affect the life-histories and fitness of their hosts. It has been demonstrated that the ability of the immune system to cope with parasites partly depends on environmental conditions. In particular, stressful condit ions have an immunosuppressive effect and may affect disease resistance. Th e relationship between environmental stress and parasitism was investigated using a blood parasite of the common lizard Lacerta vivipara. In laborator y cages, density and additional stressors had a significant effect on the i ntensity of both natural parasitaemia and parasitaemia induced by experimen tal infection. Four weeks after infection, crowded lizards had three times more parasites than noncrowded lizards. After 1 month of stress treatment, naturally infected lizards had a significantly higher level of plasma corti costerone and a higher parasite load than nonstressed individuals. In semin atural enclosures, stress induced by the habitat quality affected both the natural blood parasite prevalence and the intensity of parasitaemia of the host.