Select Parasites of Wild
Bird Species
WRNC -- 2013
Protozoa
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
Trichomonas gallinae
Coccidia (Eimeria spp.)
James R. Flowers, PhD
Importance of Parasite Control at
Rehabilitation Centers
A. Zoonotic Diseases -- Personnel Safety
Trichomonas gallinae

Flagellated protozoan
B. Animal Health
1. Host-Parasite Co-evolution = symbiotic equilibrium = pathology
a. Secondary dispersal = host-parasite relationship = pathology
i. Keep host species separate
(quarantine)
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2
Importance of Parasite Control at
Rehabilitation Centers
B. Animal Health (continued)
Trichomonas gallinae

2. Density-dependent Pathology = parasite number = pathology
Hosts

a. Environmental control
i. Direct Life Cycles = Sanitation !!!!
-- Time to Infectivity = Timely Sanitation
-- Coccidia, Trichomonas, Ascarids, (bacteria)
ii. Indirect Life Cycles -- Pest Control
-- Clinostomum, Polymorphus, Plagiorhynchus
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Pigeons & Doves ---- Frequent
Chickens & Turkeys ---- Common
Hawks & Falcons ---- Common
Owls --- Occasional
Song Birds ---- Infrequent
Pheasants / Quail ---- Rare
Waterfowl ---- Rare
Oral Cavity, Esophagus, Crop, etc.
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Trichomonas gallinae
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Trichomonas gallinae
Pathology & Clinical Signs
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Non-clinical to severe organ necrosis, caseation, organ
invasion to death
Virulent strains - death in 4 days post-infection
Eventual blockage of mouth & esophagus => starvation
Eventual blockage of trachea => respiratory failure
Depression, ruffled feathers, weak & emaciation,
greenish fluid or cheesy material in mouth & crop.
Transmission

Regurgitation feeding
Billing / feeding courtship
Contaminated water / feed
Back-yard “outbreaks”

Raptor ingesting infected pigeon / dove
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Trichomonas gallinae
Infrequently cleaned feeders & water baths
Trichomonas gallinae
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Trichomonas gallinae

Trichomonas gallinae
Diagnosis
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
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Demonstration of organism
(trophozoites) in swab, scraping,
or histo-section.
Confirm that it is not Avian Pox

which demonstrates similar oral
lesions.
Control


Quarantine
Sanitation
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Feed & water
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2
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Change often
Don’t share between birds
Don’t overcrowd
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Coccidiosis

Sporozoan protozoan
Coccidiosis
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Hosts

Small Intestine, Cecum

Coccidiosis
(Eimeria spp.)
Coccidian pathogenesis
– Parasite enters host
cells & goes through
reproduction via binary
fission until it
overwhelms & bursts
out of the host cell to
infect many more host
cells.
Diagram of pathology
phase
Coccidiosis
(Eimeria spp.)
Coccidiosis


Destruction of intestinal/cecal lining &
hemorrhage
Bloody diarrhea & emaciation
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Coccidiosis
(Eimeria spp.)
Pathology & Clinical Signs

(Eimeria spp.)
Wide variety
Normal intestinal villi

(Eimeria spp.)
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Coccidia infection –
erosion of epithelium
to sub-mucosa
causing hemorrhage
(Eimeria spp.)
Diagnosis

Oocyst in fecal Float
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3
Coccidiosis
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Nematodes
(Eimeria spp.)
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Transmission
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Fecal-Oral contamination
Ingestion of sporulated (infective) oocyst
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Capillaria obsignata
Capillaria contorta
Syngamus trachea
Ascarids
---3-5 days--->
Coccidiosis
Capillaria obsignata
(Eimeria spp.)
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Coccidia life cycle
Hosts
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Coccidiosis
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Small Intestine
Capillaria obsignata
(Eimeria spp.)
Control

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Quarantine
Sanitation
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Feed & Water & Bedding
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
Change / clean often
Don’t overcrowd
Pigeons & Doves
Indian Peafowl (peacock)
Wild Turkey
Domestic Chickens & Turkeys
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Pathology & Clinical Signs
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Intense Inflammation of the Intestine
Destruction of the Intestinal Lining
Emaciation, Diarrhea, Listlessness, Anorexia,
decreased Water Consumption, eventual Death
4
Capillaria obsignata
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Capillaria obsignata
Diagnosis
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Eggs in Fecal Float
Control
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Quarantine
Sanitation
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Feed & Water & Bedding
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Change / clean often
Don’t overcrowd
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Capillaria obsignata
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Transmission
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Capillaria contorta
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Fecal–Oral
Ingestion of an infective, embryonated egg
Hosts
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Esophagus & Crop
Capillaria obsignata
Life Cycle
Ducks & Geese
Hawks & Falcons
Gulls & Shore Birds
Quail, Pheasants, Turkeys
Crows, Grackles, Blackbirds,
Flycatchers
Capillaria contorta
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Pathology & Clinical Signs
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Inflammation & Thickening of the esophagus & crop
Thickened walls block flow of food & fluids
Droopy, weak, emaciated, listless
Display head & neck motion as if trying to vomit or
having difficulty swallowing.
5
Capillaria contorta
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Capillaria cornata
Diagnosis
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Eggs in Fecal Float
Control
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Quarantine
Sanitation
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Feed & Water & Bedding
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Prevent access to earthworms
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Capillaria cornata
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Transmission
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Don’t overcrowd
Syngamus trachea
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Fecal–Oral / Predation
Ingestion of an infective, embryonated egg
Ingestion of a paratenic earthworm
Hosts
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Quail, Pheasants, Turkeys, Peacock, Chickens
Crows, Robin, Blackbirds, Flycatchers
Ducks & Geese
Herons & Egrets
Woodpeckers
Trachea
Capillaria contorta
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Syngamus trachea
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Pathology & Clinical Signs
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Life cycle
Change / clean often
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Blockage of the trachea & suffocation
Droopy, weak, emaciated, listless
Gaping behavior, difficulty breathing, not eating.
Emit short whizzing noises & jerk head to dislodge
obstructions.
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6
Syngamus trachea
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Syngamus trachea
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Syngamus trachea
Diagnosis
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Eggs in Fecal Float
Control
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20
Quarantine
Sanitation
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Feed & Water & Bedding

Prevent access to earthworms


Change / clean often
Don’t overcrowd
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Syngamus trachea
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Transmission
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Fecal–Oral / Predation
Ingestion of an infective embryonated egg
Ingestion of an infective larvae
Ingestion of a paratenic earthworm
Ascaridia columbae
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Hosts
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Pigeon & Dove
Small Intestine
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22
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Ascaridia columbae
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Pathology & Clinical Signs
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Blockage of Small Intestine
Damage to Intestinal Mucosa
Diarrhea or Constipation
Weak, lethargy, emaciated
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Ascaridia columbae
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Ascaridia columbae
Diagnosis
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Eggs in Fecal Float
Control
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Quarantine
Sanitation
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Feed & Water & Bedding


Change / clean often
Don’t overcrowd
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Other Worms
Ascaridia columbae
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Transmission
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
Fecal–Oral
Ingestion of an infective embryonated egg

Clinostomum marginatum

Acanthocephalans
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Clinostomum marginatum
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Hosts
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Clinostomum marginatum
Transmission
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Herons & Egrets
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Predation of fish
Ingestion of Infective fish with “yellow grub” larvae
Mouth & Esophagus
Clinostomum marginatum
Clinostomum marginatum

Pathology & Clinical Signs
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Minimal pathology
Slight irritation of mouth/esophagus lining
Observation of flukes in mouth
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Clinostomum marginatum

Diagnosis
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Observe flukes in mouth
Eggs in Fecal Sedimentation
Clinostomum marginatum
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Control
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Quarantine & Treat
Don’t feed “wild caught fish”.
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Acanthocephalans
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Thorny Headed worms
Hosts
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Acanthocephalans
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Transmission
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Ducks & Geese
Hawks & Owls
Perching birds
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Ingestion of Infected Intermediate host
Ingestion of Infected Paratenic host
Small intestine
Acanthocephalans
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Pathology & Clinical Signs
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Mucosal damage
Peritonitis, possible penetration of gut & death.
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Acanthocephalans
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Diagnosis
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Eggs in Fecal Sedimentation
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Acanthocephalans
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Thank You !
Control
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Quarantine & Treat
Don’t feed “wild caught fish,
crustaceans, amphibians”.
Citations 1
Many images were acquired from the internet. The following are citations for those images.
1. -- http://gallery.site.hu/u/aotk2004/para/trichomonas_gallinae.jpg.html
2. --- http://en.wikivet.net/Trichomonas_gallinae
3, 4, 5 -- http://www.albertaclassic.com/trichomonas/trichomonas.php
6. -- http://www.poultrymatters.com
7. -- http://la-flandriere.com/Article/Volaille/Sante/maladie.html
8. -- http://www.myoops.org/cocw/tufts/courses/5/content/215773.htm
9. -http://synapse.koreamed.org/search.php?where=aview&id=10.3347/kjp.2010.48.3.253&code=0066KJP&v
mode=PUBREADER
10. -- http://en.wikivet.net/Capillaria
11. -http://synapse.koreamed.org/search.php?where=aview&id=10.3347/kjp.2010.48.3.253&code=0066KJP&v
mode=PUBREADER
12. -- http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762004000700010
13. -- http://quizlet.com/16643272/parasite-eggs-with-pictures-set-2-of-2-flash-cards/
14 -- http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/merial/strongls/strong_4.htm
15. -- http://poultrykeeper.com/respiratory-problems/gapeworm
16. -- http://everything-poultry.com/gape-worm-in-poultry/
17. --- http://www.sprcentre.com/sprc/Worm_Control_in_Poultry.htm
Non-cited Images & Graphics are those of James R. Flowers & CVM - NCSU
Citations 2
Many images were acquired from the internet. The following are citations for those images.
18. -- http://la-flandriere.com/Article/Volaille/Sante/maladie.html
19. -- http://poultrykeeper.com/respiratory-problems/gapeworm
20. -http://classconnection.s3.amazonaws.com/480/flashcards/847480/png/para11319930011954.png
21. -- http://quizlet.com/16643272/parasite-eggs-with-pictures-set-2-of-2-flash-cards/
22. -- http://www.slu.se/en/collaborative-centres-and-projects/ekoforsk/projectlist-20112013/laying-hens-roundworm-infection-/
23. -- http://nelsonferreiralucio.blogspot.com/2012/04/ascaridia-galli-em-uma-galinha-adulta.html
24 --- http://www.sprcentre.com/sprc/Worm_Control_in_Poultry.htm
25 -- http://www.sva.se/sv/Djurhalsa1/Fjaderfa/Parasiter-hos-fjaderfa1/Spolmask/
26 ---- http://quizlet.com/16643272/parasite-eggs-with-pictures-set-2-of-2-flash-cards/
27. -- http://www.poultryhub.org/health/disease/types-of-disease/parasitic-worms-or-helminths/
28 -- http://vetbook.org/wiki/cat/index.php/Clinostomum_spp
29. -- http://juliezickefoose.blogspot.com/2011/09/helping-great-blue-heron.html
30, 31. -http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00Ref/bookref36_fieldmanualofwildlifediseases/33/chapter33.htm
32. -- http://ocw.tufts.edu/Content/60/lecturenotes/797662
33. -- http://loudoun.nvcc.edu/vetonline/vet133/Acanthocephala.htm
Non-cited Images & Graphics are those of James R. Flowers & CVM - NCSU
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