Consequences of concurrent Ascaridia galli and Escherichia coli infections in chickens

Three experiments were carried out to examine the consequences of concurrent infections with Ascaridia galli and Escherichia coli in chickens raised for table egg production. Characteristic pathological lesions including airsacculitis, peritonitis and/or polyserositis were seen in all groups infected with E. coli. Furthermore, a trend for increased mortality rates was observed in groups infected with both organisms which, however, could not be confirmed statistically. The mean worm burden was significantly lower in combined infection groups compared to groups infected only with A. galli. It was also shown that combined infections of E. coli and A. galli had an added significant negative impact on weight gain

New hosts of some nematodes - parasites of Passeriformes

Parasitic nematodes very rarely exist in birds that are completely or predominantly herbivorous. The investigation of the helminth fauna of Passeriformes in the region of Lower Silesia revealed new hosts for some nematode species. We found in Acrocephalus scirpaceus – Acuaria subula and Microtetrameres inermis; in Fringilla coelebs and in Luscinia megarhynchos – Dispharynx nasuta; in Passer montanus – Capillaria angusta; in Phylloscopus trochiloides – Acuaria subula as well in Phylloscopus collybita – Microtetrameres sp. These nematodes have not been so far reported from these bird species

Lis rudy [Vulpes vulpes] jako rezerwuar pasożytów i źródło zoocenoz

Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) as reservoir of parasites and source of zoonosis. This review presents data from Europe and Poland on the prevalence of helminth and protozoan parasites in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). The most common nematodes were geohelminths: Uncinaria stenocephala, Toxocara canis and Toxocara leonina. As concerning Trichinella genus T. britovi was found more often than T. spiralis. Among tapeworms the following species were recorded: Mesocestoides lineatus, Taenia sp., and Echinococcus multilocularis. Detected cases of E. Multilocularis together with an increase of fox population during last few years create a potential human risk of infection. The results of many studies indicate rare presence of trematodes (Alaria alata) and protozoan parasites (Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Leishmania spp., Eimeria spp.) in red foxes

Przywry ptaków Dolnego Śląska. IV. Przedstawiciele rodzaju Mosesia [Pleurogenidae, Trematoda] - nowy element parazytofauny ptaków wróblowatych Dolnego Śląska

Illustrated descriptions of Mosesia pavlovskii, M. sittae and M. microsoma have been presented. These species have been described for the first time in Poland, and two of them - M. sittae and M. microsoma - have not been know in Europe until now. Motacilla flava, Turdus philomelos and T. merula are new hosts of these trematodes. M. sittae has been recognized as an autochthonous species - completing its life cycle in the climatic conditions of Lower Silesia. As for the other two species, the author supposes that their invasion has been connected with the birds' migrations or wintering

Trematodes of birds from Lower Silesia. III. Urotocus rossitensis (Muhling, 1898) - new for Poland species of trematode parasitizing in passeriform birds

During the studies on trematode fauna of birds from Lower Silesia, the rare species - Urotocus rossitensis (MÜHLING, 1898) - was found. It parasitized in the bursa Fabricii of Sylvia borin, Erithacus rubecula and Turdus philomelos, and in the cloaca of Turdus merula. All these birds are new hosts for U. rossitensis which was recorded for the first time in Poland. It is worth mentioning that the localization of this trematode in the cloaca of T. merula is nontypical, since the parasite has underdeveloped suckers. Morphological and biometrical data give us new information about variability of U. rossitensis. They allow the author to support WILLIAMS' (1960) proposition to include U. fusiformis MCINTOSH, 1935 and U. tholonetensis TIMON-DAVID, 1955 among the synonyms of Urotocus rossitensis (MÜHLING, 1898)

A study of the helminth fauna of birds belonging to the Passeriformes in the Netherlands

In this study, 210 birds belonging to 47 species and 15 families of the Passeriformes collected during the period 1970-1986, were investigated for the presence of helminths. Of these birds, 138 (65.7%) were infected: 47 (22.4%) with digeneans, 82 (39.0%) with cestodes, 95 (45.2%) with nematodes and 36 (17.1%) with acanthocephalans. Eleven species of digeneans were found 5 of cestodes, 11 of nematodes and 2 of acanthocephalans. Most findings are new records for the Netherlands. New hosts were revealed for one nematode species (Fringilla montifringilla for Pterothominx exilis), four digeneans (Sitta europaea for Echinochasmus beleocephalus, Turdus philomelos for Echinostoma revolutum, Motacilla alba for Notocotylus attenuatus and Passser domesticus as well as Turdus philomelos for Plagiorchis multiglandularis) and one acanthocephalan (Troglodytes troglodytes for Prosthorhynchus cylindraceus). The results showed clearly that birds which feed on invertebrates or are omnivorous - Hirundinidae, 16 investigated, 11 positive (68.8%); Corvidae, 53 investigated, 47 positive (88.7%); Turdidae, 53 investigated, 42 positive (79.2%) and Sturnidae, 17 investigated, 15 positive (88.2%) - are heavier infected than seed eaters - Fringillidae, 18 investigated, 2 positive (11.1%). However, high intensity of infection with capillariids (up to 350 specimens) in one of Fringilla montifringilla should be noticed