Malaria in an eastern screech owl (Otus asio).
Owls are frequent carriers of blood parasites but clinical malaria infections are rare. Various stages of Plasmodium subpraecox were seen in 90% of the erythrocytes of an Eastern screech owl (Otus asio) showing symptoms consistent with malaria 1 wk after admission for traumatic injuries. An additional unidentified blood parasite, either a Plasmodium or a Haemoproteus spp. was found in small numbers of red blood cells on blood films examined at admission and at day 7 postadmission. Combined infestation, trauma-induced stress, and iatrogenic corticosteroid administration are possible factors that could have induced disease. Oral treatment with mefloquine at 30 mg/kg, repeated after 12, 24, and 48 hr, proved successful in eliminating both organisms and signs of clinical disease.
Tavernier
Paul
P
Kliniek voor Vogels en Bijzondere Dieren, Faculteit Diergeneeskunde, Universiteit Gent, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Saggese
Miguel
M
Sagesse
Miguel
M
Van Wettere
Arnaud
A
Redig
Patrick
P
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D015767:Mefloquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020305:Strigiformes / Q000469:parasitology*
D000962:Antimalarials; D015767:Mefloquine