title: Fatal Ichthyocotylurus erraticus infestation in Inca terns (Larosterna inca) in a zoological collection.
abstract: In a breeding group of Inca terns (Larosterna inca), 14 birds died without antemortem signs of illness. Other than a poor body condition and a bloody cloaca, no symptoms were observed. Gross necropsy revealed severe segmental hemorrhagic enteritis with intralesional trematodes in most birds. Histopathologic examination revealed infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and granulocytes in the lamina propria of the duodenum and cross-sections of trematodes in the lumen. The parasites were identified as Ichthyocotylurus erraticus, a trematode of fish-eating birds. The cause of the infestation most likely was the feeding of unfrozen fresh fish. We describe the first case of a lethal I. erraticus infestation in Inca terns.
authors: Wouter
authors: W
authors: Pieters
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Hoyer
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Verstappen
authors: Marno
authors: M
authors: Wolters
authors: Jooske
authors: J
authors: Ijzer
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: de Jong
authors: Herman
authors: H
authors: Cremers
authors: Marja
authors: M
authors: Kik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D046091:Charadriiformes; D004751:Enteritis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D009426:Netherlands; D014200:Trematoda / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*