Infection dynamics of Hemolivia mariae in the sleepy lizard Tiliqua rugosa

The blood parasite Hemolivia mariae was experimentally transmitted to lizards under laboratory and field conditions. Weekly blood samples from experimentally infected lizards were used to demonstrate the changes in composition of the different developmental stages of the parasite as infection progressed. The prepatent period and time to peak infection was longer for field-infected lizards compared to those held under laboratory conditions. Infections in naturally infected field lizards had longer pre-patent periods and lower mean-peak parasitaemia than those in lizards that were uninfected at the time of experimental infection. The results are discussed in relation to the natural field-transmission dynamics of H. mariae in its lizard and tick hosts.