title: Effect ofHaemoproteus columbaeinfection on the hemogram of the Pigeons (Columba livia domestica).
abstract: It has been reported that parasites affect the health and productivity of birds, initiate excessive preening which interrupts feeding, as the birds spend much time preening rather than being involved in other essential life activities.Haemoproteuscolumbaeoccurs in pigeons widely in tropical and subtropical regions. The present investigation was concentrated on the effect ofH. columbaeinfection on the hemogram and changes in the number of white blood cells in infected pigeons. Blood samples taked from 100 pigeons in Shahrekord. Blood smears stained and observed forH.columbaeinfection. Packed cell volume (PCV) and total white blood cells (WBC) count and differential WBC count determinate for every smears. This study show that PCV increased in infected pigeons byH. columbaethan non infected pigeons. There were increasing in the number of total WBC in the infected pigeons byH. columbaethan non infected pigeons. Also there were significant differences between the number of lymphocytes and eosinophils in the infected pigeons byH. columbaethan non infected pigeons. This study and same studies show the part of the effects of blood parasites on the hemogram, but there were many questions about the effects of blood parasites such asH. columbaeon the other parameters of host's blood, so we advise to focus on the other hematological parameters in the future studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, 115 Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir Dehghani
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Samani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, 115 Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Khodadad Pirali
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Kheirabadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahrekord University, 115 Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Abdonnaser
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohebbi
keywords: Haemoproteuscolumbae; Hemogram; Pigeons; White blood cell