INCREASE IN A HEAT-SHOCK-PROTEIN FROM BLOOD-CELLS IN RESPONSE OF NESTLING HOUSE MARTINS (DELICHON URBICA) TO PARASITISM - AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Heat-shock proteins (HSPs) are synthesized by animals and plants in re sponse to various stressors. The level of the HSP60 stress protein was measured from the cell fraction of peripheral blood obtained from nes tling house martins (Delichon urbica) to test whether ectoparasitism i ncreased the concentration of stress previously treated with an insect icide or infested with 50 martin bugs (Oeciacus hirundinis). In additi on, haematozoa infections were checked in blood smears. Nestlings from parasite-infested nests, or nestlings infected with trypanosomes, had increased levels of HSP in their blood cells. Nestling growth as dete rmined from wing length was negatively related to HSP60 levels and wit hin-brood variation in wing length increased with increasing levels of the stress protein independently of treatment and infection by trypan osomes. These results suggest HSPs may play a role in host-parasite in teractions, and that they can be used reliably for measuring physiolog ical responses to parasites.