Endemic infection of the common mynah Acridotheres tristis with Trichomonas gallinae the agent of avian trichomonosis

Hassan Ali Farooq, Hammad Ahmad Khan, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei, Kevin Tyler

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)
21 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Avian trichomonosis is an architypal disease of wild columbids and those birds that predate them. Increasingly though, it has been reported in passerines; a recent and ongoing epidemic in the chaffinches and greenfinches of Europe and outbreaks amongst house finches, American goldfinches and purple finches in North America. The parasite, Trichomonas gallinae, causes lesions in the upper respiratory tract which can cause mortality associated with dehydration and emaciation. This paper reports for the first time, the widespread, endemic and often asymptomatic infection of common mynah (Acridotheres tristis) around the Faisalabad District, Pakistan. Parasite typing was used to investigate the potential for transmission among the frequently sympatric species. Type C parasites were found in mynah, and while this is analagous to the pandemic finch strain which is Type A, it is the first known example of passerine infections of this parasite genotype. Subtype analysis showed the strain to be C4 a subtype which has a widespread distribution in columbids.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1548-1552
Number of pages5
JournalParasitology
Volume145
Issue number12
Early online date23 Apr 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2018

Cite this