TY - JOUR T1 - Ectoparasites of nestling European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) from a nest box colony in Nova Scotia, Canada JF - Journal of the Acadian Entomological Society Y1 - 2014 A1 - Fairn, Evan R. A1 - Hornsby, Mark A.W. A1 - Terry D. Galloway A1 - Barber, Colleen A. SP - 19 EP - 22 KW - ectoparasites KW - European starlings KW - Nova Scotia VL - 10 UR - http://www.acadianes.org/journal/papers/fairn_13-1.pdf ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Are Lice Associated with Ring-Billed Gull Chick Immune Responses? JF - Waterbirds Y1 - 2012 DO - 10.1675/063.035.0118 A1 - Fairn, Evan R. A1 - McLellan, Nicolas R. A1 - Shutler, Dave SP - 164 EP - 169 AB -

Little is known about whether chewing lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) suppress or activate immunity in birds. Here, relationships between lice (Quadraceps punctatus, Saemundsonnia lari and Austromenopon transver- sum) and immune parameters were evaluated in Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) chicks. Eosinophils made up greater proportions of leukocytes in chicks with more lice (partial r = 0.64, P < 0.001), suggesting louse-induced immunoactivation via either eosinophil production or redistribution to peripheral blood. However, there were no significant relationships between lice and other immune parameters (proportion heterophils, proportion lympho- cytes, heterophil:lymphocyte ratio, response to injection with phytohaemagglutinin). Collectively, results suggest only minor immune responses to lice, but experimental manipulations of louse infestations are needed to better quantify these responses and evaluate their potential consequences for fitness.

VL - 35 UR - http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1675/063.035.0118 IS - 1 JO - Waterbirds ER -