Helminth Parasite Dynamics in Northern Bobwhite Populations
Summary
Helminth infections in northern bobwhite populations are shaped by complex interactions among host biology, parasite life-cycles and environmental conditions. Aulonocephalus pennula and Oxyspirura petrowi dominate the helminth communities in key ecoregions, with seasonal and interannual variation linked to precipitation, temperature and intermediate-host abundance. Transmission is heteroxenous, requiring arthropod vectors such as crickets, grasshoppers and cockroaches for completion of larval development. Parasite burden depends on host age, sex and body condition, although population-scale impacts on survival and reproduction remain under investigation. High prevalence of eyeworms in declining rolling-plains bobwhite flocks points to sublethal effects on vision, feeding efficiency and predator avoidance. Quantitative surveys reveal spatial clustering of infection hotspots, suggesting that landscape structure, agricultural practices and climate variability modulate epizootic risk. Integrated studies combining field surveillance, experimental infections and molecular diagnostics have illuminated transmission pathways and refined prevalence estimates. Practical implications include targeted pest management to reduce intermediate-host densities, strategic timing of anthelmintic treatments and habitat modifications to interrupt life-cycles. These approaches aim to bolster bobwhite conservation and game-management objectives while deepening our understanding of wildlife host–parasite ecology.
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Helminth Parasite Dynamics in Northern Bobwhite Populations publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in helminth parasite dynamics in northern bobwhite populations across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Helminth: Parasitic worm, including nematodes, cestodes and trematodes, that infect host tissues.
Heteroxenous: Describing a parasite life-cycle that requires more than one host species to complete development.
Anthelmintic: A chemical agent used to eliminate helminth infections by disrupting parasite physiology.
Prevalence: The proportion of hosts in a population that are infected at a given time.
Epizootic: A disease outbreak in an animal population analogous to an epidemic in humans.
References
- Life-cycle of Oxyspirura petrowi (Spirurida: Thelaziidae), an eyeworm of the northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus). Parasites & Vectors (2019).
- Assessment of the helminth fauna in northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) occurring within South Texas. Journal of Helminthology (2021).
- In Vitro Lethality of Fenbendazole to the Eyeworm Oxyspirura petrowi. Animals (2024).
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