To get sick or not to get sick—Trichomonas infections in two Accipiter species from Germany

AbstractTrichomonosis caused by the flagellate Trichomonas gallinae is one of the most important avian diseases worldwide. The parasite is localised in the oesophageal area of its host and mainly infects pigeon and dove species. During the last decade, a host expansion to passerine birds occurred, making the disease a potential threat for passerine predators as naïve host species. Here, we investigated the effect of the parasite on two Accipiter species in Germany which show a comparable lifestyle but differ in prey choice, the Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) mainly hunting pigeons and the Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) mainly feeding on passerines. We genetically identified the parasite strains using the Fe-Hydrogenase gene as marker locus and compared the incidence of parasite presence and clinical signs of trichomonosis between nestlings of the two Accipiter species. In total, we identified 14 strains, with nine strains unknown so far. There was a higher strain diversity and prevalence of Trichomonas spp. in goshawks than sparrowhawks (42.4% vs. 21.2%) whereas sparrowhawks when being infected more often displayed clinical signs of trichomonosis than goshawks (37.1% vs. 6.1%). Even though sparrowhawks were mainly infected with the finch epidemic strain and genetic data indicated some variation between isolates, no correlation with virulence could be detected. All in all, goshawks seem to be better adapted to Trichomonas infections, whereas to sparrowhawks, this is a novel disease with more severe manifestations, from individual morbidity to a higher risk of population decline caused by trichomonosis.

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Multi-locus sequence typing confirms the clonality ofTrichomonas gallinaeisolates circulating in European finches

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182013002023 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 141 (5) ◽

pp. 652-661 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

PETRA GANAS ◽

BARBARA JASKULSKA ◽

BECKI LAWSON ◽

MARKO ZADRAVEC ◽

MICHAEL HESS ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Infectious Disease ◽

18S Rrna ◽

Multi Locus Sequence Typing ◽

Disease Spread ◽

Passerine Birds ◽

Sequence Analyses ◽

Trichomonas Gallinae ◽

Fringilla Coelebs ◽

Clonal Strain ◽

The Uk

SUMMARYIn recent years,Trichomonas gallinaeemerged as the causative agent of an infectious disease of passerine birds in Europe leading to epidemic mortality of especially greenfinchesChloris chlorisand chaffinchesFringilla coelebs. After the appearance of finch trichomonosis in the UK and Fennoscandia, the disease spread to Central Europe. Finch trichomonosis first reached Austria and Slovenia in 2012. In the present study the genetic heterogeneity ofT. gallinaeisolates from incidents in Austria and Slovenia were investigated and compared with British isolates. For this purpose comparative sequence analyses of the four genomic loci ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, 18S rRNA,rpb1and Fe-hydrogenase were performed. The results corroborate that one clonalT. gallinaestrain caused the emerging infectious disease within passerine birds and that the disease is continuing to spread in Europe. The same clonal strain was also found in a columbid bird from Austria. Additionally, the present study demonstrates clearly the importance of multi-locus sequence typing for discrimination of circulatingT. gallinaestrains.

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Clinical Signs and Histopathologic Findings Associated with a Newly Recognized Protozoal Disease (Trichomonas gallinae) in Free-Ranging House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus)

Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine ◽

10.1638/2009-0188r.1 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

pp. 249-254 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Nancy L. Anderson ◽

Christine K. Johnson ◽

Sandy Fender ◽

Susan Heckly ◽

Marcia Metzler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Signs ◽

Carpodacus Mexicanus ◽

House Finches ◽

Trichomonas Gallinae ◽

Free Ranging ◽

Histopathologic Findings

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Ecological distribution and population densities of raptors in the inner and outer zone of a Central European city

Ukrainian Journal of Ecology ◽

10.15421/2018_279 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 772-779

Author(s):

G. Kopij

Keyword(s):

Outer Zone ◽

Passerine Birds ◽

Falco Tinnunculus ◽

Buteo Buteo ◽

Milvus Migrans ◽

Accipiter Nisus ◽

Circus Aeruginosus ◽

Wooded Area ◽

The City ◽

Milvus Milvus

Five raptor species were recorded as breeding in the city of Wrocław (293 km2) during the years 2002-2010: Falco tinnunculus (2.4 pairs per 10 km2), Buteo buteo (4.1 pairs/10 km2 of wooded area), Accipiter gentilis (3.1 pairs/10 km2 of wooded area), Accipiter nisus (1.6 pairs/10 km2 of wooded area), Circus aeruginosus (0.2 pairs per 10 km2). All these species have increased in numbers over the last 20-30 years, both in the inner and outer zone of the city. Falco tinnunculus is a well-established raptor in the inner part of the city, while Accipiter nisus, A. gentilis, Buteo buteo started to infiltrate to the inner zone. In the last 70 years, a few cases of nesting were recorded for four other raptor species in Wrocław: Milvus migrans, Milvus milvus, Pernis apivorus and Falco subbuteo, but none of them was recorded in the inner zone of the city. Abundant and stable food supply (small mammals, columbids, corvids and small passerine birds), and freely available nesting and perching sites may contribute to this success.

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Skilled and controlled immigration – a solution to keep sustainable economic growth in Europe?

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis ◽

10.11118/actaun201159020069 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 59 (2) ◽

pp. 69-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Daniela Dvořáková

Keyword(s):

Economic Growth ◽

Immigration Policy ◽

Population Decline ◽

Potential Threat ◽

Global Competitiveness ◽

Skilled Immigration ◽

Western Values ◽

European Immigration ◽

And Migration ◽

Sustainable Economic Growth

Europe’s population decline compared with the demographic explosion in Africa and Asia is a potential threat to sustainable economic growth and global competitiveness in Europe. Europe is currently facing two major problems-lack of population growth and migration pressures. The solution could provide a targeted management of migrations flows. Prerequisite for sustainability of the system is not only a skilled migration, but some form of integration and acceptance of Western values as well. In connection with the deepening of integration of the common EU immigration policy, Czech immigration strategies have to be complementary with the EU strategies. Czech Republic had to already undertaken many reforms of Aliens Act and also tries to launch its own strategies favourising the skilled immigration, to reinforce the main trends in the European immigration policy.

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Hazardous and Extremely Hazardous Emergent Viral Infections of the Beginning of XXI Century: Rise, Spread, Hazard for Public Health

Journal of NBC Protection Corps ◽

10.35825/2587-5728-2018-2-2-61-68 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 61-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Keyword(s):

Viral Infections ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Hemorrhagic Fever ◽

Armed Forces ◽

Human Beings ◽

Potential Threat ◽

Russian Territory ◽

Causative Agents ◽

The Russian Federation ◽

Severe Fever

The article is dedicated to the review of some hazardous and extremely hazardous emergent viral infections of the beginning of the XXI century – severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle-East respiratory syndrome (MERS), Lujo hemorrhagic fever (LHF) and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). Special attention is paid to the time of reveal and identification of infectious agents, their taxonomic belonging, genome organization, possible ways of the appearance of strains, virulent for human beings, to endemic regions, probable ways of infection, reservoirs and transmitters of infection, morbidity and mortality. These infections should be of particular concern because of the severity of illnesses, caused by the above mentioned viruses, the absence of characteristic clinical signs that makes diagnostics more difficult, especially in non-endemic areas, the absence of means of specific prophylaxis and treatment and the difficulties in their identification. The analyze of this emergent viral infections reveals their potential threat for the Armed Forces and population of the Russian Federation in case of accidental or intentional delivery of causative agents of these diseases to the Russian territory

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Oral trichomoniasis in raptors in Southern Brazil

Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira ◽

10.1590/1678-5150-pvb-6077 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 39 (12) ◽

pp. 983-988

Author(s):

Joanna V.Z. Echenique ◽

Mauro P. Soares ◽

Mirian Bruni ◽

Nara Amélia Farias ◽

Valéria D. Moretti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Retrospective Study ◽

Oral Cavity ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Trichomonas Gallinae ◽

Grain Processing ◽

Gross Lesions ◽

Columbia Livia ◽

Domestic Pigeons

ABSTRACT: A retrospective study of oral trichomoniasis cases in raptors was carried out at “Laboratório Regional de Diagnóstico” of “Faculdade de Veterinária” of “Universidade Federal de Pelotas” (LRD-UFPel) from December 2014 to August 2017. Seven necropsy reports were reviewed. All raptors including Falconiformes and Strigiformes orders were from periurban zones. Four birds were adults, and there was no apparent sex predisposition. Clinical signs included dysphagia, regurgitation, and anorexia. Gross lesions were characterized by multifocal yellow to coalescent caseous nodules adhered to the oral cavity, which extended to the entrance of the esophagus. Microscopically, the lesions were characterized by severe focally extensive heterophilic granulomatous stomatitis. Trichomonas gallinae was isolated in modified Diamond medium of all samples collected from birds. It is believed the transmission occurred by the predation of domestic pigeons (Columbia livia domestica) contaminated with T. gallinae that agglomerate in patios of grain processing complexes.

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The protozoan parasite Trichomonas gallinae causes adult and nestling mortality in a declining population of European Turtle Doves, Streptopelia turtur

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182014001474 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 142 (3) ◽

pp. 490-498 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

JENNIFER E. STOCKDALE ◽

JENNY C. DUNN ◽

SIMON J. GOODMAN ◽

ANTONY J. MORRIS ◽

DANAË K. SHEEHAN ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wing Length ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Protozoan Parasite ◽

Clinical Disease ◽

Clinical Infection ◽

Free Living ◽

Single Strain ◽

Trichomonas Gallinae ◽

Conservation Concern ◽

Nestling Mortality

SUMMARYStudies incorporating the ecology of clinical and sub-clinical disease in wild populations of conservation concern are rare. Here we examine sub-clinical infection by Trichomonas gallinae in a declining population of free-living European Turtle Doves and suggest caseous lesions cause mortality in adults and nestlings through subsequent starvation and/or suffocation. We found a 100% infection rate by T. gallinae in adult and nestling Turtle Doves (n = 25) and observed clinical signs in three adults and four nestlings (28%). Adults with clinical signs displayed no differences in any skeletal measures of size but had a mean 3·7% reduction in wing length, with no overlap compared to those without clinical signs. We also identified T. gallinae as the suggested cause of mortality in one Red-legged Partridge although disease presentation was different. A minimum of four strains of T. gallinae, characterized at the ITS/5·8S/ITS2 ribosomal region, were isolated from Turtle Doves. However, all birds with clinical signs (Turtle Doves and the Red-legged Partridge) carried a single strain of T. gallinae, suggesting that parasite spill over between Columbidae and Galliformes is a possibility that should be further investigated. Overall, we highlight the importance of monitoring populations for sub-clinical infection rather than just clinical disease.

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Prey selection by sparrowhawks, Accipiter nisus : relative predation risk for breeding passerine birds in relation to their size, ecology and behaviour

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.1996.0141 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 351 (1347) ◽

pp. 1559-1577 ◽

Cited By ~ 117

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Relative Density ◽

Predation Risk ◽

Prey Species ◽

Prey Selection ◽

Common Belief ◽

Passerine Birds ◽

Accipiter Nisus ◽

The Mean ◽

Nest Height

Predation is a fundamental ecological process, but there are few studies of predation risk for adult, breeding birds. In this study, we quantified Relative Predation Risk (RPR) for 46 species of passerine birds preyed on by sparrowhawks during the breeding season in south-western Sweden. The sparrowhawk is a major predator of smaller birds in Eurasian forests and woodland. Near nesting hawk pairs, prey abundance was estimated by line transects. From prey remains at hawk nests, we estimated the frequency of prey species in the diet of hawks. For each hawk pair, RPR values for different prey species were calculated. The mean RPR for each prey species, based on hawk pairs as sample units, indicated degree of overrepresentation (positive RPR) or underrepresentation (negative RPR) of the prey in the diet. Prey species with a high positive RPR nested mainly near human habitations (villages or towns), at forest edges and in farmland. However, there were marked seasonal changes in RPR. Forest birds, such as the goldcrest and wren, had the highest RPR in April. Later, the hawks seemed to hunt mainly in the habitats mentioned above, where prey were more abundant or easier to catch, resulting in increasing RPR for the house sparrow, yellowhammer, greenfinch and other species. RPR values were analysed in relation to prey body size (mass) and relative density, as well as prey foraging height and nest height (categorized from the literature). In addition, the mean perch height and mean exposure of prey species were quantified in the field. Most predation was due to the smaller male hawks, providing food for their mates and young, RPR increased with prey body size up to a mass of about 40 g, then declined with increasing body size (larger prey being more difficult to catch), RPR decreased with increasing relative density of prey species. Nest height was not correlated with RPR, but foraging height seems to be an important factor: RPR decreased with increasing foraging height. A similar result was found for mean perch height, when larger prey (over 40 g) and singing individuals were excluded from the field data. RPR increased with mean exposure of prey species when larger prey and singing birds were excluded; a combination of perch height and exposure improved the correlation with RPR. Singing birds were generally perched high in the vegetation and may not suffer high predation risk, contrary to common belief. The results of this study are discussed in relation to temporal and geographical variation in RPR and antipredator adaptations in passerine birds.

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The influence of risk factors associated with captive rearing on post-release survival in translocated cirl buntings Emberiza cirlus in the UK

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605315001313 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 332-338 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

K. Fountain ◽

C. Jeffs ◽

S. Croft ◽

J. Gregson ◽

J. Lister ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Intensification ◽

Action Plan ◽

Population Decline ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Passerine Birds ◽

Weather Factors ◽

Multivariable Logistic Regression Model ◽

Factors Associated ◽

In Captivity ◽

The Uk

AbstractPopulation decline resulting from agricultural intensification led to contraction of the range of the cirl bunting Emberiza cirlus in the UK to a small area of south Devon. As part of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan for the species, a project to re-establish a population in suitable habitat in Cornwall was undertaken during 2006–2011, in which chicks were removed from the nest in Devon, hand-reared and then delayed-released. The survival of the birds to four time points in the year after release was analysed in relation to the effect of rearing factors, using a multivariable logistic regression model. Individuals with higher body weight at capture were more likely to survive to 1 January and 1 May in the year following release, and individuals released in June and July were more likely to survive than those released in August. Individuals released in 2006 and 2011 had a higher survival rate than those released during 2007–2010. Timing of capture, time spent at each stage in captivity, medication and the detection of parasites in the brood had no significant effect. Immunosuppressive disease, weather factors and predator activity may have led to some of the observed differences in survival. This analysis provides evidence with which to plan future translocation projects for cirl buntings and other passerine birds.

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