Invasion of Flukes of the Echinostomatidae Family in Racing Pigeon ( Columba livia var. domestica) Lofts.
Over 4 years, only two known cases of fluke invasions were diagnosed in racing pigeons ( Columba livia ) originating from different regions of Poland. In both cases, the invasion was characterized by a very high mortality (approximately 70%), and the source of the infestation was snails of the Lymnaeidae family eaten by pigeons. Fluke invasions in pigeons are extremely rare and to date have not been described in Poland. Therefore, the occurrence of the symptoms of hemorrhagic diarrhea and sudden deaths of either adult pigeons or nestlings were suspected to be associated with poisoning. Autopsy revealed an invasion of flukes causing hemorrhagic enteritis. Renal failure and spleen atrophy were also found in the birds. Using molecular biology techniques, infestation with the fluke Echinostoma revolutum was determined in the second case.
A Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 159c Nowoursynowska St., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
Aleksandra
A
Ledwoń
A Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 159c Nowoursynowska St., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
Beata
B
Dolka
B Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Bird and Exotic Animals, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Pl. Grunwaldzki 45, 50-366 Wroclaw, Poland.
Tomasz
T
Piasecki
A Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 159c Nowoursynowska St., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
Izabella
I
Dolka
A Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 159c Nowoursynowska St., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
Piotr
P
Szeleszczuk
D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D010856:Columbidae; D004450:Echinostomatidae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004751:Enteritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D011044:Poland; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
D015801:Helminth Proteins
echinostoma revolutum; echinostomatidae; flukes; pigeons