Department of Avian Medicine and Zootechnics, College of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Av. Universidad 3000, UNAM, C.U, 04510 Mexico City, Mexico.
Private Medicine Practice in Companion and Wild Avian Species.
Parasitol Int. 2024 Dec;103:102954. doi: 10.1016/j.parint.2024.102954. Epub 2024 Aug 22.
The present report describes a case of acanthocephaliasis associated with necrotic enteritis in quetzals (Pharomachrus mocinno). Three juvenile quetzals exhibited depression, anorexia, ruffled feathers, and sudden death. They were submitted to the laboratory for examination. The birds had hatched and lived in captivity in an aviary in Mexico. Gross lesions observed were hemorrhagic, fibrinoid necrotic enteritis, with acanthocephalans adhered to the intestinal mucosa. The specimens were identified by parasitology, electronic microscopy, and molecular biology as Plagiorhynchus (Prosthorhynchus) sp. Lesions compatible with necrotic enteritis were also confirmed by isolation and genotyping of Clostridium perfringens type E. This is the first report of Plagiorhynchus (Prosthorhynchus) sp. in quetzals in captivity in Mexico. The findings in this manuscript suggest that this parasite could be a predisposing factor for necrotic enteritis as well as a risk component in the breeding programs and survival of this avian species in captivity.
本报告描述了一例与食火鸡（Pharomachrus mocinno）坏死性肠炎相关的棘头虫病。三只幼鸟表现出抑郁、食欲不振、羽毛蓬乱和突然死亡。它们被提交给实验室进行检查。这些鸟类是在墨西哥的一个鸟舍中孵化并饲养的。观察到的大体病变为出血性、纤维蛋白样坏死性肠炎，棘头虫附着在肠黏膜上。通过寄生虫学、电子显微镜和分子生物学鉴定为 Plagiorhynchus（Prosthorhynchus）sp。通过分离和产气荚膜梭菌 E 型基因分型也证实了与坏死性肠炎相符的病变。这是墨西哥食火鸡圈养中 Plagiorhynchus（Prosthorhynchus）sp. 的首次报告。本研究结果表明，这种寄生虫可能是坏死性肠炎的诱发因素，也是该鸟类在圈养中繁殖计划和生存的风险因素。
