Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T04:46:36.803Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Capillaria contorta parasitism in red-legged partridge under farm conditions in Spain: histopathology of the upper digestive system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2007

Manuel Pizarro ,
Pedro Villegas ,
Antonio Rodriguez ,
Marta Gonzalez  and
Juana M. Flores
Manuel Pizarro
Affiliation:
Departamento de Patologia Animal II (Histology and Pathology), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Pedro Villegas
Affiliation:
Department of Avian Medicine (Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Antonio Rodriguez
Affiliation:
Departamento de Patologia Animal II (Histology and Pathology), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Marta Gonzalez
Affiliation:
Departamento de Patologia Animal II (Histology and Pathology), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Juana M. Flores
Affiliation:
Departamento de Patologia Animal II (Histology and Pathology), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Get access

Abstract

Capillaria contorta is a parasitic nematode of the oesophagus and crop of a number of domestic and wild birds. This study deals with three cases of capillariasis in the red-legged partridge. Infected individuals in two of these cases presented a history of weight loss, weakness, feather alterations and death, while morbidity and mortality were limited. In the third case, deaths occurred only after the birds were freed for repopulation purposes. Congestion of the crop was seen at necropsy. Histological examination revealed the presence of parasites and their eggs in the epithelium of the oesophagus and crop of every partridge. The worms displayed a characteristic distribution in all three cases: adults were found in the basal portion of the epithelium while the eggs were located in the middle. In one bird, parasites were observed in the anterior segment of the proventriculus. The fundamental epithelial lesion consisted of spongiosis of the oesophagus and crop. In the individual with proventricular parasitism, epidermoid metaplasia was also seen. The inflammatory reaction observed in the lamina propria was discrete and diffuse, except in those cases in which epithelial necrosis and bacterial colonies were detected.

Keywords

Capillariacrophistopathologyoesophagusparasitismpartridge
Type
Research Article
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 56 , Issue 2 , June 2000 , pp. 159 - 166
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bernard, J. (1987) Helminthes parasites de l'etourneau sansonnet (Sturnus vulgaris L.) dans son aire de nidification. Archives lnstitut Pasteur, Tunis 64: 477–499Google Scholar
Boyd, E. (1975) Mortality of blue jays in eastern Massachusetts due to parasitic nematode. Environmental Conservation 2: 188–194Google Scholar
Fritzche, K. and Gerriets, E. (1962) Geflügelkrankheiten, Paul Parey, Berlin, pp. 352–357Google Scholar
Gkithkopoulos, P.R., Liakos, V.D., Panagiotidou-Mamalouka, V. and Lekkas, S. (1983) Capillariasis of the crop and oesophagus in quails (Colinus virginianus), partridges (Alectoris chukar) and pheasant (Phasianus colchicus mongolicus). Hellenike Kteniatrike 260: 287–299Google Scholar
Gumbrell, R.C. (1986) Capillaria spp. in game birds. Surveillance, New Zealand 13: 24–29Google Scholar
Hinojos, J.G. and Canaris, A.G. (1988) Metazoan parasites of Himantopus mexicanus Muller (Aves) from Southwestern Texas, with a checklist of helminth parasites from North America. Journal of Parasitology 74: 326–331CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hurst, G.A., Turner, L.W. and Tucker, F.S. (1979) Capillariasis in penned wild turkeys. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 15: 395–397CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kozakiewicz, B. and Maszewska, J. (1985) Mebenvet, Panacur i Systamex w leczeniu kuropatw zarazonych Capillaria contorta warunkach hodowlanych. Medycyna Weterynayjna 41: 486–488Google Scholar
Polo, F. (1960) Enfermedades y Parásitos de las Aves Dométicas. Monografia 9, Ministerio de Agricultura, Madrid, pp. 446–451Google Scholar
Riddell, C. (1987) Avian Histopathology. American Association of Avian Pathology, Pennsylvania, USA, 49pp.Google Scholar
Ruff, M.D. (1991) Nematodes and acanthocephalans. In: Diseases of Poultry (Calnek, B.W., Barnes, H.J., Beard, C.W., Reid, W.M. and Yoder, H.W. Jr, Eds), 9th Edition, Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa, pp. 731–763Google Scholar
Shanthikumar, S.R. (1989) Helminthology. In: Diseases of Caged Birds (Burr, E.W., Ed), T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey, USA, pp. 135–146Google Scholar