{
  "abstract": "Host age can indicate where avian helminths are acquired, but age patterns may also reflect seasonality, cumulative exposure and parasite persistence. We analysed age-specific prevalence, abundance and infection intensity in our long-term dataset of individually examined birds from the Czech Republic. Helminth taxa were classified statistically according to age and seasonal effects, and, independently, trematodes were assigned a priori to biogeographic groups based on their life cycles and intermediate-host distributions. Among 177 taxa retained for statistical analysis, 34 showed a pronounced adult-biased effect (Category A), 9 showed neither a strong adult effect nor significant seasonality (Category B) and 134 showed significant seasonal effects without meeting the Category A criterion (Category C). The independent biological classification provided clearer evidence of geographic acquisition. Trematodes associated with wintering grounds in southern Europe or Africa occurred in 0.21% of first-year and 3.12% of adult host–taxon associations. In contrast, nonlocal trematodes completing their life cycles elsewhere in Europe or marine taxa occurred in 0.70% and 2.01%, respectively. In contrast, cosmopolitan trematodes and those completing their life cycle locally were more prevalent in first-year associations. Most qualifying nonlocal species showed adult-biased prevalence, although Psilotrema oligoon and Psilotrema simillimum showed the opposite pattern. Several biologically nonlocal taxa were assigned to Category B or C because age and sampling month were strongly confounded, showing that failure to detect an independent age effect does not imply local transmission. Age-structured helminth data, therefore, provide a useful signal of migration-mediated parasite acquisition when interpreted together with parasite life cycles, intermediate-host distributions, seasonality and persistence.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jiljí Sitko"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Petr Heneberg",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0703-951X"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/74z6m5h7kkvdx.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1017/s0031182026102765",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13740149/",
  "id": "74z6m5h7kkvdx",
  "issns": [
    "0031-1820",
    "1469-8161"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182026102765",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Research Article"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2405|Bird parasitology and diseases"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7213368558",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/D7ED20AC81E303711E690E0ABA33C211/S0031182026102765a.pdf/div-class-title-age-biased-helminth-infections-uncover-hidden-migration-effects-div.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13740149",
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-16",
  "publisher": "Cambridge University Press",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/74z6m5h7kkvdx.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-10T12:21:27Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13740149",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182026102765"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2405|Bird parasitology and diseases",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Age-biased helminth infections uncover hidden migration effects",
  "title_text": "Age-biased helminth infections uncover hidden migration effects",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-10T12:21:27Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/74z6m5h7kkvdx",
  "venue": "Parasitology",
  "versions": []
}