Microsporidiosis in a young ostrich (Struthio camelus).
Microsporidia are obligate, intracellular, protozoan parasites of a wide variety of vertebrates and invertebrates. Confirmed reports of microsporidial infection of avian species are few (lovebirds, a parrot, and a group of budgerigar chicks). At slaughter, a 14-mo-old ostrich was found to have small intestinal serosal hemorrhages during postmortem inspection. Histologic examination of the small intestine revealed a chronic lymphoplasmacytic to purulent enteritis with mucosal hyperplasia, muscular hypertrophy, and numerous microsporidia that were located within the superficial enterocytes and the lamina propria. Microsporidia have a ubiquitous distribution in nature and are suspected as possible zoonotic agents.
Gray
M L
ML
United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Office of Public Health and Science, Athens, GA 30604, USA.
Puette
M
M
Latimer
K S
KS
D000818:Animals; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D006965:Hyperplasia; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D007583:Jejunum / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D016816:Microsporida / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000473:pathology*; D020310:Struthioniformes