Variation in host specificity between species of avian hemosporidian parasites : Evidence from parasite morphology and cytochrome B gene sequences
A parasite's shift to a new host may have serious evolutionary consequences, since host switching usually is associated with a change in virulence and may lead to the evolution of emerging diseases. This phenomenon remains insufficiently studied in wildlife. Here, we combine microscopic examination of blood films and PCR-based methods to investigate the natural host specificity of Haemoproteus and
