Prevalence of parasites in selected captive bird species

Blood and fecal samples of chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar), albino pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), silver pheasant (Lophura nycthemera), rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri) and turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) were analyzed to check parasitic prevalence. To record parasites these five avian species were placed kept in separate cages at Avian Conservation and Research Center, Department of Wildlife an Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan. 100 fecal and 100 blood samples for each bird species were inspected to analyze internal parasites. During present study, 17 species of endoparasites 14 from fecal samples and three from blood were examined. Two species of ectoparasites i.e. mite Dermanyssus gallinae 42% and fowl ticks Args persicus 41%were studied. Blood parasites included Plasmodium juxtanucleare 50%, Leucoctoyzoon simond having parasitic prevalence 40%, and Aegyptinella pullorum having parasitic prevalence of 40%. Parasitic species recorded from fecal samples included 6 species of nematodes viz. Allodpa suctoria 2%. Syngamus trachea with parasitic prevalence of 60%, Capillaria annulata 37.5%, Ascardia galli 24%, Capillaria anatis 40% and Heterakis gallinarum 28.3%. Similarly, two species of trematodes viz. Prosthogonimus ovatus having parasitic prevalence of 50% and Prosthogonimus macrorchis 21% were also documented from fecal avian samples . Single cestode species Raillietina echinobothrida having parasitic prevalence of 72% and 3 protozoan species i.e. Eimeria maxima having parasitic prevalence of 21%, Giardia lamblia 41% and Histomonas meleagridis 18% were documented during corpological analysis. In our recommendation, proper sanitation, medication and vaccination of bird’s enclousres are suggested to avoid parasites.

Studies on parasitic prevalence in pet birds from Punjab, Pakistan

During this one year study, blood and fecal samples of doves (Zenaida asiatica), ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), pigeons (Columba livia), partridges (Alectoris chukar), turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) and goose (Chen caerulescens) were collected to assess the parasitic prevalence in these birds. The birds were kept at Avian Conservation and Research Center, Department of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore. All these avian species were kept in separate cages and their entire body was inspected on regularly basis to record external parasites. For internal parasites, 100 blood and 100 fecal samples for each species were analyzed. During present study, two species of ectoparasites i.e. fowl ticks (Args persicus) and mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) while 17 species of endoparasites; three from blood and 14 from fecal samples were identified. Prevalence of blood parasites was Plasmodium juxtanucleare 29.3%, Aegyptinella pullorum 15% and Leucoctoyzoon simond 13%. Parasitic species recorded from fecal samples included 6 species of nematodes viz. Syngamus trachea with parasitic prevalence of 50%, Capillaria anatis 40%, Capillaria annulata 37.5%, Heterakis gallinarum 28.3%, Ascardia galli 24% and Allodpa suctoria 2%. Similarly, two species of trematodes viz. Prosthogonimus ovatus having parasitic prevalence of 12.1% and Prosthogonimus macrorchis 9.1% were also recorded from fecal samples of the birds. Single cestode species Raillietina echinobothrida having parasitic prevalence of 27% and 3 protozoan species i.e. Eimeria maxima having prevalence 20.1%, Histomonas meleagridis 8% and Giardia lamblia 5.3% were recorded. In our recommendation, proper medication and sanitation of the bird’s houses and cages is recommended to avoid parasites.

Physiological and biochemical mechanisms of the hen’s body recovery from dermanyssosis associated with deacarization

The purpose of the research is to study the efficacy of the insectoacaricide "5% D-cyphenotrine emulsion" against infestation of birds with Dermanyssus gallinae (dermanyssosis) after the deacarization of the poultry building and to characterize physiological and biochemical mechanisms of the recovery of Hy-Line hens after removed parasites.Materials and methods. A parasitological examination of the poultry farm found D. gallinae in one of the poultry buildings. Given positive results of the drug efficacy against the poultry red mite, we analyzed the morpho-physiological and physiological and biochemical parameters of the hen’s blood before and 10 and 20 days after the treatments. Changes in the ethological status of birds were recorded. We used 0.005% aqueous emulsion of "5% D-cyphenothrin emulsion" for treatment. To obtain it, the drug was diluted with water at a ratio of 1:1000 immediately before use.Results and discussion. After double treatment with "5% D-cyphenotrine emulsion" of the shop with hens from the test group, no live poultry red mite was found. Within 20 days after the disease reduction, representatives of this group showed high concentrations of cortisol which were 2.3–2.4 times (p < 0.001) higher than those of healthy hens. This indicates that the stress state of hens still remains after the parasitizing of D. gallinae. In addition, the recovery process takes a long time and with great stress for all systems of their body. This is also confirmed by a high level of lipid peroxidation. At the same time, high intensity of gluconeogenesis and, as a result, deterioration of lipid and protein metabolism were recorded in the hens in question. The positive results indicate an increasing need for additional energy expenditures which are paramount for the effective and well-timed implementation of adaptation mechanisms. It should be noted here that the values of all the above-mentioned indicators tend to normalize by the end of the study period. The changes noted in the blood of birds indicate the restoration of a number of body systems. The poultry red mite as an emergency factor affects the morphophysiology of the blood, in particular, the level of white blood cells, which is restored by the 10th day after deacarization, which triggers regenerative and reparative processes. There were also changes in the number of cells of the immune system, an increase in hemoglobin concentration to control values and optimization of behavior in representatives of the test group which are largely related to the normalized physiological activity of the thyroid gland after the poultry building deacarization. We found a partial recovery of the hen’s body systems after the poultry building deacarization with the drug "5% D-cyphenotrine emulsion", which is due to the long-term parasitizing of D. gallinae, a stressor of extreme strength.

Genome-wide Investigation of Genetic Diversity in the Poultry Red Mite, Dermanyssus Gallinae, From European Farms Utilising a NGS-Multiplex Platform

The poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae), an obligatory blood feeding ectoparasite, is primarily associated with egg laying hens where it is estimated to cause losses of ~€230 million per annum from European farmers. Current control strategies, including the use of acaricidal chemicals and desiccant dusts, are often ineffective and there is widespread resistance to acaricides across Europe. Alternative methods to control D. gallinae are urgently required and strategies include development of recombinant subunit vaccines and discovery of new potential acaricides. These strategies will benefit hugely from knowledge of the extent and rates of occurrence of genetic diversity within D. gallinae populations. In this study, genetic diversity of mites harvested from the UK and from sites across mainland Europe was studied at inter- and intra-farm levels. To achieve this, the genome analysis toolkit (GATK) best practices pipeline for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and insertion/deletion variant calling was modified to be self-validating and used to identify 32,599 D. gallinae SNPs by comparing transcriptomic sequences (derived from mites harvested in Germany, Schicht et al.) with a D. gallinae genome assembly (derived from mites harvested in Scotland, Burgess et al.). Dermanyssus gallinae populations were sampled from 22 UK farms and 57 farms from 15 countries in mainland Europe. Analysis of 144 high-quality SNP markers across 117 pooled D. gallinae samples showed high spatial genetic diversity with significant linkage disequilibrium. Revisiting a subset of farms revealed notable temporal changes in genetic diversity.

Characterization of a Novel Cysteine Protease Inhibitor from Poultry Red Mites: Potential Vaccine for Chickens

Poultry red mite (PRM; Dermanyssus gallinae) is a hazardous, blood-sucking ectoparasite of birds that constitutes a threat to poultry farming worldwide. Acaricides, commonly used in poultry farms to prevent PRMs, are not effective because of the rapid emergence of acaricide-resistant PRMs. However, vaccination may be a promising strategy to control PRM. We identified a novel cystatin-like molecule in PRMs: Dg-Cys. Dg-Cys mRNA expression was detected in the midgut and ovaries, in all stages of life. The PRM nymphs that were artificially fed with the plasma from chickens that were immunized with Dg-Cys in vitro had a significantly reduced reproductive capacity and survival rate. Moreover, combination of Dg-Cys with other antigen candidates, like copper transporter 1 or adipocyte plasma membrane-associated protein, enhanced vaccine efficacies. vaccination and its application as an antigen for cocktail vaccines could be an effective strategy to reduce the damage caused by PRMs in poultry farming.

Cross-sectional seasonal prevalence and relative risk of ectoparasitic infestations of rodents in North Sinai, Egypt

Background and Aim: Rodents are ubiquitous animals that host ectoparasites and transmit zoonotic diseases. We conducted a cross-sectional study on the seasonal variation, period prevalence (Pp), and relative risk of ectoparasitic infestations in rodents collected in North Sinai, Egypt, from September 2019 to August 2020. Materials and Methods: We captured 380 rodents during the study period. Rodents were euthanized to perform species identification, and 2930 external parasites were collected and identified using light microscopic examination with systemic keys depending on morphological characters. Results: Rattus norvegicus (brown rat), Rattus rattus frugivorus (white-bellied rat), Rattus rattus alexandrines (gray-bellied rat), and Mus musculus domesticus (house mouse) were captured at the highest frequencies during summer (n=186), followed by spring (n=84), fall (n=71), and winter (n=39), with a higher proportion of males captured in all seasons. Analysis of the infestation Pp revealed highly significant increases (p<0.01) in ectoparasites during the winter. Temperature, humidity, and dew point were significantly (p<0.01) correlated with the numbers of captured and infested rodents. Parasitological examinations showed the higher risks of flea (Echidnophaga gallinacea, Xenopsylla cheopis, and Leptopsylla segnis) and lice (Hoplopleura hirsuta, Hoplopleura ocanthopus, Hoplopleura oenomydis, and Polyplax spinulosa) infestations during winter and mite (Laelaps nuttalli, Dermanyssus gallinae, Ornithonyssus bacoti, and Myobia musculi) infestations during summer. Conclusion: We conclude that ectoparasitic infestation prevalence and risk varies with predominating macroclimatic conditions. Strict preventive and biosecurity measures should be applied to combat rodent-related problems.

Genotype–environment interaction in layer chickens in the growing stage: comparison of three genotypes at two different feeding levels with or without red mite (<i>Dermanyssus gallinae</i>) infestation

This study investigated how early growth was affected in various chicken genotypes, which were fed ad libitum or restricted and with or without poultry red mite (PRM) infestation. Atak-S (AS), New Hampshire Red (NHR), and Light Sussex (LS) genotypes were used in the study. In total, 120 chicks were used from each genotype. Four groups were formed: feed-restricted (FR) and infested with parasite (P+), FR only, fed ad libitum and P+ , and fed ad libitum only. Feed restriction was applied as 20 % of the feed consumption of the group fed ad libitum the day before for each genotype. The study was conducted between 2 to 12 weeks of age. Weekly live weights and feed consumption were recorded, and the feed conversion ratio was calculated. Traps were placed in cages to count parasites. Regarding the live weight, NHR tolerated the PRM infestation in the ad libitum feed conditions better than other genotypes. While the infested NHR and AS birds had lower live weights than the non-infested ones under FR conditions, there was no difference between infested and non-infested birds of NHR and AS genotypes when they fed ad libitum. The feed consumption of infested AS and NHR birds was higher than that of non-infested counterparts when fed ad libitum. By contrast, the LS chicks consumed less food in the infested environment. In conclusion, the genotypes responded differently to PRM infestation in different feeding environments.

Importance and Impact of the Poultry Red Mite (Dermanyssus Gallinae) in Layer Farms - Analysis of Farmers’ Perception

Poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae, causes egg drop production, anemia and can be a vector in transmitting diseases. The PRM control mainly focuses on usage of the conventional chemical biocides. The objective of this study was to analyze the farmers’ perception regarding the impact, management and control of PRM in Macedonian layer farms. The data were collected with direct on-site visits using a unified questionnaire. In total, 29 poultry farms (28% of farms in the country), all with conventional cages, were part of this study. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and Naïve Bayes Classifier technique. In 30% of the poultry farms the farmers had observed that the flock was infested with PRM. In total, 32 different treatments against PRM were reported from the farmers, and three of them were non-biocide treatments. The most used biocides (17% of the farms) were crude oil, Formalin, Neopitroid® and disinfectants. The highest agreement regarding biocides application among the farms (38%) was before the production starts. Most of the farmers applied biocides routinely, before the infestation is evident (75%). The median costs for PRM treatment were 175€ per flock, higher in the infested farms 493±677€ compared to non - infested 100±71€, p<0.05. None of the Macedonian farmers included in the study was using monitoring method for PRM infestation, contributing to poor data records. This study highlights the need of developing unified strategy for PRM control included in the Integrated Pest Management in poultry layer farms.