ISOSPORA SP (APICOMPLEXA, EIMERIIDAE) IN ICTERINE WARBLER (HIPPOLAIS-ICTERINA, PASSERIFORMES, SYLVIIDAE) - THE POSSIBILITY OF PARENTS TO NESTLINGS TRANSMISSION

The prevalence of Isospora sp. in a population of icterine warbler was studied to ascertain the possibility of transmission of oocysts from parents to nestlings. Seventy-two adults and nestlings in 51 nests wer e examined; Isospora sp. oocysts were found in 91.2% of samples from f emales, 78.9% from males and 35.3% from nestlings. There was no signif icant difference between the prevalence of infection in females and ma les; the difference between adults and nestlings was statistically hig hly significant. The prevalence in nestlings depended on their age (24 % in 7-9 days and 50% in 10-12 days old nestlings). From 39 nests with 1 or both parents harboring oocysts, 12 nests contained infected youn gs and 27 were infection free; the difference between the average age of nestlings in the infected and uninfected group (9.7 and 9.2 days, r espectively) was not significant. As no nests with infection-free pare nts were found, we could not conclude if nestlings were infected by fo od contaminated accidentally or directly from their positive parents.