Trichomonas gallinae: Prevalence and molecular characterization from pigeons in Minoufiya governorate, Egypt.
Trichomonas gallinae infects the upper digestive tract of pigeons. It is transmitted from mother to young squabs by feeding crop milk. Generally, infection resulted in severe mortalities in young birds. In this study, we examined 3315 pigeons of different ages from the Minoufiya governorate for the clinical infection by T. gallinae. The infection was confirmed in infected birds by microscopical examination of oral swabs, histopathological examination, and PCR of the ITS1/5.8S/ITS2 gene. The prevalence was 63 (1.9%). The parasite was found in 35 (2.04%) from Ashmoun, 15 (1.66%) from Minoof, 8 (1.6%) from Quesna, and 5 (2.5%) from El-Shohada birds. The infection was mainly detected in squabs 60 (1.8%). The sequence of T. gallinae ITS1/5.8S/ITS2 gene from Egypt has high nucleotide sequence identity (up to100%) to T. gallinae from pigeon of USA, Austria, Canada, and Spain. The sequence belongs to genotype B of T. gallinae. Histopathological examination presented the parasites in crop, liver, larynx, and trachea as poorly eosinophilic bodies with severe inflammatory cell infiltration. This is the first study to present the prevalence and genotype of T. gallinae from Minoufiya governorate, Egypt.
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City 32511, Minoufiya, Egypt.
Ahmed O
AO
El-Khatam
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City 32511, Minoufiya, Egypt. Electronic address: hethet2004@yahoo.com.
Mahmoud R
MR
AbouLaila
Department of Birds and Rabbit Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City 32511, Minoufiya, Egypt.
Mahmoud
M
Ibrahim
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat City 32511, Minoufiya, Egypt.
Mostafa M
MM
AbdEl-Gaber
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D010856:Columbidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D003426:Crop, Avian / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D007830:Larynx / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D009055:Mouth / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D014132:Trachea / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D014244:Trichomonas / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012340:RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S
Egypt; Genotype B; Minoufiya; PCR; Pigeon; Trichomonas gallinae