Avian Malaria Infections Are Not Associated With Host Genetic Diversity: A Meta-Analysis

Genetic diversity is essential for the adaptive potential of species, particularly in the context of parasitic infections, which exert strong selective pressures on host populations. While reduced genetic diversity is often linked to increased susceptibility to infection, the extent to which this applies across different genetic markers and ecological contexts remains unclear. In this meta-analysis, we synthesized data from 35 studies encompassing 27 bird species and 85 effect sizes to examine the relationship between individual genetic diversity and avian malaria infections caused by Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon. We focused on the influence of genetic marker type (functional vs. neutral), parasite genus, infection assessment method, host migratory behaviour, and latitude. Contrary to expectations, we found no significant association between individual genetic diversity and either infection prevalence or intensity, regardless of marker type. Meta-regression analyses further revealed that none of the tested moderators-including parasite genus, infection assessment method, migratory behaviour, or latitude-significantly influenced this relationship. Similarly, analyses restricted to MHC data showed no effect of additional moderators such as MHC class or genotyping method. These findings suggest that broad measures of genetic diversity may not reliably predict infection outcomes in wild bird populations. It is likely that such measures obscure finer genetic effects from specific alleles (e.g., MHC variants). Moreover, reliance solely on parasite genetic material may underrepresent infection status. We recommend that future studies integrate general diversity metrics with allele-specific analyses and incorporate antibody-based diagnostics to more accurately capture infection dynamics and host-parasite co-evolution in natural systems.