A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Effects of Trichomonas gallinae infection and diet on blood microbiome composition in european greenfinches (Chloris chloris)
Authors: Krama, Tatjana; Krams, Ronalds; Popovs, Sergejs; Gudrā, Dita; Ustinova, Maija; Fridmanis, Davids; Trakimas, Giedrius; Contreras-Garduño, Jorge; Cirule, Dina; Rantala, Markus J.; Adams, Colton B.; Jõers, Priit; Krams, Indrikis A.
Publisher: FRONTIERS MEDIA SA
Publishing place: LAUSANNE
Publication year: 2025
Journal: Frontiers in Physiology
Journal name in source: FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
Journal acronym: FRONT PHYSIOL
Article number: 1576833
Volume: 16
Number of pages: 10
eISSN: 1664-042X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2025.1576833
Web address : https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2025.1576833
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/499177908
Recent research has reported microbial invasion of the bloodstream in various disease-associated conditions. In this study, we investigated the role of trichomonosis outbreak (caused by the Trichomonas gallinae parasite) and food availability in shaping the blood microbiome composition of wintering greenfinches (Chloris chloris). Data were collected during two periods: before the outbreak (December) and during the outbreak (February). No bacterial contamination was observed in pre-epidemic blood samples. All individuals were infected during the outbreak, but greenfinches with irregular food access exhibited lower bacterial contamination in their blood. Individuals with permanent food access had a greater proportional representation of specific microbial taxa and higher alpha diversity in their blood microbiomes. However, beta diversity did not differ between the two groups. We demonstrated that trichomonosis infection and feeding regime play critical roles in mediating septic conditions of peripheral circulation during an outbreak, with food accessibility influencing blood microbial contamination. These findings integrate the impacts of feeding regimes and hematological responses to improve our understanding of the complex interactions between diet, disease, and physiological resilience in wild birds.
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Funding information in the publication:
The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. This study was supported by the Latvian Council of Science (grant lzp-2022/1-0348).
