title: Cryptosporidium meleagridis in an Indian ring-necked parrot (Psittacula krameri).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To perform a morphological and genetic characterisation of a Cryptosporidium infection in an Indian ring-necked parrot (Psittacula krameri) and to compare this with C meleagridis from a turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue and intestinal sections from an Indian ring-necked parrot were examined microscopically for Cryptosporidium. The organism was also purified from the crop and intestine, the DNA extracted and a portion of the 18S rDNA gene amplified, sequenced and compared with sequence and biological information obtained for C meleagridis from a turkey as well as sequence information for other species of Cryptosporidium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Morphological examination of tissue sections from an Indian ring-necked parrot revealed large numbers of Cryptosporidium oocysts attached to the apical border of enterocytes lining the intestinal tract. Purified Cryptosporidium oocysts measured about 5.1 x 4.5 microns, which conformed morphologically to C meleagridis. The sequence obtained from this isolate was identical to sequence information obtained from a C meleagridis isolate from a turkey.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cryptosporidium meleagridis was detected in an Indian ring-necked parrot using morphological and molecular methods. This is the first time that this species of Cryptosporidium has been reported in a non-galliform host and extends the known host range of C meleagridis.
authors.affiliation: World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for the Molecular Epidemiology of Parasitic Infections, Western Australia.
authors.forename: U M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Limor
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gelis
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Raidal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fayer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lal
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elliot
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010311:Parrots / Q000469:parasitology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D014422:Turkeys / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S