Prevalence and burden of gastrointestinal helminths in wild and domestic guineafowls (Numida meleagris) in the Southern Province of Zambia

Gastrointestinal helminths are ubiquitous in both domestic and wild animals. Infections are often sub-clinical except in circumstances of destabilization of host-parasite equilibrium by innate or environmental factors. The present case deals with microscopic and molecular diagnosis of Murshidia linstowi recovered from an elephant. A post-mortem examination of a free-ranging juvenile male elephant calf that had died of electrocution in Athagarh Wildlife Division revealed the presence of slender, whitish nematodes in the stomach. No gross lesions were noticed either in the site of predilection or any other internal organs. The average length of the parasites was 3.8cm. These parasites were collected for further gross as well as microscopic examination following routine parasitological techniques. Temporary mounts prepared after cleaning the nematodes in lactophenol were observed under a microscope. Morphological features such as a well-developed mouth collar, large and globular buccal capsule with fine tubercles, cone shaped oesophageal funnel, short bursa having indistinctly divided lobes and closely apposed ventral rays and stout spicules with club shaped tips bent dorsally corroborated with that of M.linstowi (male). Amplification of the rDNA from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using universal nematode primers NC2 and NC5 revealed a product size of 870bp. The PCR product was subjected to sequencing followed by NCBI-BLAST which revealed 98% homology with M. linstowi. A phylogenetic study showed a maximum similarity with M.linstowi recovered from elephants in Kenya. This particular nematode species belonging to the family Strongylidae and sub-family Cyathostominae appears to be the first documented report in India.

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Genomic analyses unveil helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) domestication in West Africa

Genome Biology and Evolution ◽

10.1093/gbe/evab090 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Quan-Kuan Shen ◽

Min-Sheng Peng ◽

Adeniyi C Adeola ◽

Ling Kui ◽

Shengchang Duan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

De Novo ◽

Guinea Fowl ◽

Chromatin Interaction ◽

De Novo Genome Assembly ◽

Numida Meleagris ◽

Whole Genomes ◽

Genomic Analyses ◽

Related Wild Species ◽

Wild Progenitors

Abstract Domestication of the helmeted guinea fowl (HGF; Numida meleagris) in Africa remains elusive. Here we report a high-quality de novo genome assembly for domestic HGF generated by long and short-reads sequencing together with optical and chromatin interaction mapping. Using this assembly as the reference, we performed population genomic analyses for newly sequenced whole-genomes for 129 birds from Africa, Asia, and Europe, including domestic animals (n = 89), wild progenitors (n = 34), and their closely related wild species (n = 6). Our results reveal domestication of HGF in West Africa around 1,300-5,500 years ago. Scanning for selective signals characterized the functional genes in behavior and locomotion changes involved in domestication of HGF. The pleiotropy and linkage in genes affecting plumage color and fertility were revealed in the recent breeding of Italian domestic HGF. In addition to presenting a missing piece to the jigsaw puzzle of domestication in poultry, our study provides valuable genetic resources for researchers and breeders to improve production in this species.

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Gastrointestinal Helminths from Six Species of Frogs and Three Species of Lizards, Sympatric in Pará State, Brazil

Comparative Parasitology ◽

10.1654/4268.1 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 74 (2) ◽

pp. 327-342 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Stephen R. Goldberg ◽

Charles R. Bursey ◽

Janalee P. Caldwell ◽

Laurie J. Vitt ◽

Gabriel C. Costa

Keyword(s):

Gastrointestinal Helminths

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Studies on Eimeria grenieri in the guinea fowl (Numida meleagris)

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182000047338 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 76 (1) ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

P. L. Long ◽

B. J. Millard

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Body Weight ◽

Small Intestine ◽

Body Weight Gain ◽

Chorioallantoic Membrane ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Guinea Fowl ◽

Third Generation ◽

Numida Meleagris ◽

Pathogenic Effects

SummaryEimeria grenieri was isolated from intensively reared guinea fowl in Britain. The oocysts had average dimensions of 21·09 × 15·48 μm and a small micropyle. Three generations of schizonts were found in the small intestine. The first mature schizonts were found in the upper intestine 30 h after inoculation. Second-generation schizonts were seen 48–80 h and third-generation schizonts were present 80–96 h after inoculation. These schizonts were found in the middle and lower small intestine. It was confirmed that gametogony of this species occurs only in the caeca. The pre-patent time was 112 h and the reproductive index from a dose of 6 × 102 oocysts was 8 × 104. Doses of between 1 × 104 and 1 × 106 caused severe depression of body weight gain. Immunity to re-infection developed rapidly. Sulphaquinoxaline at a dose of 0·04% in the drinking water given after inoculation was effective in reducing the pathogenic effects of the disease. Robenidine given in the food at a concentration of 16·5 ppm (50% of the recommended concentration for chickens) was effective in preventing disease caused by E. grenieri.The endogenous life-cycle of E. grenieri was completed in the chorioallantoic membrane of developing chicken embryos.

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