1. Non-cultured faecal and gastrointestinal seed samples fail to detect Trichomonad infection in clinically and sub-clinically infected columbid birds
- Author
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Jenny C. Dunn, William Oliver Christian Symondson, Antony J. Morris, Keith C. Hamer, Alexandra McCubbin, Simon J. Goodman, Rebecca C. Thomas, Philip V. Grice, and Jennifer E. Stockdale
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,QL ,Gastrointestinal tract ,Trichomoniasis ,biology ,Trichomonas ,C111 Parasitology ,Trichomonas gallinae ,medicine.disease ,Oral cavity ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Streptopelia turtur ,Microbiology ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,C430 Medical and Veterinary Genetics ,D323 Animal Pathology ,Genetics ,medicine ,Emerging infectious disease ,Parasite hosting ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
Trichomonosis, caused by the protozoan Trichomonas gallinae, is an emerging infectious disease in finches, and is more commonly found in columbids and raptors. Infections can be sub-clinical or cause morbidity and mortality, but the parasite is currently only detectable by incubation of an oral swab. Here, we test whether T. gallinae parasites can be detected by PCR from faecal or non-cultured samples from the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract of infected Turtle Doves (Streptopelia turtur). PCR did not detect T. gallinae parasites in any faecal samples screened, and in only 1 of 11 oral/gastrointestinal samples (from the mouth of a nestling suspected to have died from trichomonosis). We conclude that both oral swabs and parasite culture are still necessary to detect the sub-clinical presence of T. gallinae infection in birds.
- Published
- 2016