Mantzios T. DVM, PhD student, Unit of Avian Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Tsiouris V. DVM, PhD, Associate Professor, Unit of Avian Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Sioutas G. DVM, PhD student, Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Apostolopoulou E.P. DVM, PhD student, Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Kiskinis K. DVM, PhD student, Unit of Avian Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Tsiokas E. DVM, Intern, Unit of Avian Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Βrellou G. D. DVM, PhD, Associate Professor, Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Papadopoulos E. DVM, PhD, Professor, Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Introduction
The present study aimed to investigate a histomoniasis case in peafowls living in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Materials and methods
In November 2022, two peahens, aged 5 and 8 months old, were submitted for necropsy in the Unit of Avian Medicine, A.U.Th. One week before, peahens showed depression, anorexia, and apathy. During the postmortem examination, the liver was swollen, while in some areas circumscribed, necrotic lesions were recorded. The caeca were grossly distended, with yellowish content, necrotic foci, ulceration in the wall, adhesions with adjacent organs, and evidence of peritonitis. Histomoniasis was suspected during the post-mortem examination, and to confirm the diagnosis, parasitological tests were carried out on stool samples, while pieces of intestine, liver, and spleen were taken for histopathological examination.
Results
Parasitological examination revealed the presence of numerous spherical protozoa with a diameter of 8–14μm morphologically similar to H. meleagridis. Histopathologically ulcerative necrotizing typhlitis and necrotizing hepatitis were observed, while after periodic acid (PAS) histochemical staining, trophozoites morphologically similar to H. meleagridis were noted.
Conclusions
The absence of commercially available drugs and the ignorance of the prevalence of the parasite, in domestic and free-living birds of the country, highlights the importance of biosecurity measures that should be taken in domestic birds to prevent endemic situations.
References
- Clarke LL, Beckstead RB, Hayes JR & Rissi DR (2017). Pathologic and molecular characterization of histomoniasis in peafowl (Pavo cristatus). Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation: official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc, 29(2), 237–241. https://doi.org/10.1177/1040638716687002.
- McDougald LR (2005). Blackhead disease (histomoniasis) in poultry: a critical review. Avian diseases 49(4), 462–476. https://doi.org/10.1637/7420-081005R.1.
