Subject(s)
Animal Population Groups/parasitology , Animals, Wild/parasitology , Bird Diseases/parasitology , Birds/parasitology , Parasitic Diseases, Animal , Animals , Animals, Wild/blood , Bird Diseases/epidemiology , Birds/blood , Italy , Parasitic Diseases/epidemiology , Parasitic Diseases/parasitologyABSTRACT
Blood smears from Falconiformes (91 birds of 10 species) and Strigiformes (23 birds of 5 species) captured in Italy, were examined for haematozoa. Leucocytozoon were found in Falco tinnuculus, Buteo buteo, Circus cyaneus, Circus pygargus, Accipiter nisus from Falconiformes and in Strix aluco, from Strigiformes. Haemoproteus were found in Falco tinnuculus and Strix aluco; this latter species harbored mixed infections Leucocytozoon-Haemoproteus. Prevalences were 20.80% in Falconiformes and 21.74% in Strigiformes.
Subject(s)
Apicomplexa/isolation & purification , Birds/parasitology , Animals , Blood/parasitology , ItalyABSTRACT
In peripheral blood of Nycticorax nycticorax and Egretta garzetta (Aves, Ardeidae), gametocytes of the genus Leucocytozoon (Protozoa, Sporozoa) were found. We describe this parasite and compare it with the past records of Leucocytozoon in Ardeidae. While only life cycle studies will give a definitive answer to these taxonomic problems, we put forward an hypothesis about taxonomy of Leucocytozoon in Ardeidae.
