Are Lice Associated with Ring-billed Gull Chick Immune Responses?

The article focuses on the association between chewing lice and Ring-billed gull chick immunity. Relationships between lice and immune parameters were evaluated in Ring-billed Gull chicks. Eosinophils made up greater proportions of leukocytes in chicks with more lice suggest louse-induced immunoactivation via either eosinophil production or redistribution to peripheral blood. Results suggests only minor response to lice but experimental manipulations of louse infestations are needed.