Prevalence and Pathology of Trichomoniasis in Free – Living

The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of trichomoniasis and its pathology in pigeons. A total of 100 free living urban pigeons were collected during the months August and September 2007. The overall prevalence was 16%. In infected pigeons, yellowish – white masses of caseous necrotic material were seen grossly in the oral cavity, esophagus, crop, and proventiculus. Pale to yellow necrotic areas were noted in the liver. Multiple foci of caseous necrosis were seen microscopically in the oral mucosa together with heavy infiltration of inflammatory cells (mainly heterophils). Foci of necrotic inflammation were seen in the liver and there was thickening of the lining mucosa of the esophagus due to extensive infiltration of heterophils. Collections of necrotic material were seen in the mucosa and submucosa of the esophagus. Infection occurred more frequently in young than in adult pigeons. A higher prevalence of the infection was noted in male than in female pigeons. In all of the infected pigeons, trichomoniasis occured in the absence of apparent secondary disease. It was concluded that trichomonad infection is fairly common in free living urban pigeons in the city of Mosul, Iraq.


Introduction
Mosul city, Iraq during the months August and September, 2007, were included in this study.The Trichomoniasis is an infection with the body weight, health status, sex, and age of each bird flagellated protozoan Trichomonas gallinae and is were recorded.Gross examination of oral cavity was commonly found in pigeons, turkeys, chickens, done and swab was taken from the throat or from the hawks, mourning doves, golden eagles, falcons, and oral cavity.The swabs were processed through direct bustards (Levine, 1995).Infected birds show signs of smear method and then subsequently with Wrightdullness, depression, and diarrhea, characterized by Giemsa, staining techniques (Coles, 1980) to identify yellow pasty stools.The disease is responsible for the T. gallinae.Complete postmortem examination of economic losses since it is associated with high each bird was performed and tissue specimens were mortality along with very high morbidity (Samour et collected from the oral cavity, esophagus, crop, al., 1995).Among young pigeons, T. gallinae intestines, liver, and the lungs.They were fixed in 10% infection may result in a high mortality within 10 days neutral formalin solution for 48 to 72 hours and then and a high incidence of latent infection (up to 90%) has washed under tap water, dehydrated in ascending also been reported (Soulsby, 1982).The purposes of grades of alcohol, cleared in xylol and embedded in the present study were to describe the prevalence and paraffin wax (60 -62 C melting point).Sections of 4pathological lesions of trichomoniasis in free -living 6 µm thickness were cut and stained with hematoxylin urban pigeons in the city of Mosul, Iraq and to study and eosin (Kiernan, 1999).the influence of factors such as age (immature vs.

adult), sex, weight and health status of the pigeons on
The overall prevalence rate of avian trichomoprevalence of the disease.

Material and Methods
caseous necrotic material were seen in the oral cavity, esophagus, crop, and proventiculus (Figs. 1 and 2).A total of 100 free living urban pigeons Pale to yellow necrotic areas were noted in the liver.(Columba livia) bought from the local markets of Microscopically, multiple foci of caseous necrosis 43% (Saleem et al., 2008).A higher incidence of were seen in the oral, esophageal and crop mucosae trichomoniasis (59%) was reported in racing pigeons together with heavy infiltration of inflammatory cells in Australia (McKeon et al., 1997).The incidence of (mainly heterophils) (Figs. 3 and 4).In some cases the trichomoniasis was 38.8% in budgerigars, Senegal necrotic area assumed concentric rings.Examination doves, and racing pigeons.Villanua et al. (2006) found of the liver revealed multiple foci of necrotic the prevalence of trichomoniasis in common wood inflammation and there was thickening of the lining pigeon in Spain as 34.2%.Gulegen et al. (2005) mucosa of the esophagus due to extensive infiltration reported 75.78% prevalence rate in domestic pigeon. of heterophils.Collections of necrotic material were In a study monitoring the presence and annual seen in the mucosa and submucosa of the esophagus.variation of T. gallinae for 6 years in a local mourning Multiple foci of necrosis together with infiltrations of dove population using hunter -killed doves, a 5.6% of inflammatory cells (heterophils and lymphocytes) the tested samples were positive for the presence of T. were seen in the liver tissue.In the intestines, necrosis gallinae (Schulz et al., 2005).Anderson et al. (2009) of the tips of some of the villi and the accumulation of recorded a prevalence rate of trichomoniasis of 1.7% the necrotic material in the intestinal lumen were seen.
in house finches, 0-6.3% in corvids and 0.9% in Trichomoniasis occurred more frequently in mockingbirds.Krone et al. (2005) reported that the young than in adult pigeons.A higher prevalence of prevalence of trichomoniasis in northern goshawks the infection was seen in male than in female pigeons.from the Berlin area of northeastern Germany was The range of weight of affected pigeons was 300 -400 69.7% in 1998, 73.0% in 1999, 55.8% in 2000 and gm and no secondary disease was found.
62.9% in 2001.The variation of the prevalence rate in the various studies is expectable in view of the many

Discussion
factors that affect occurrence of the disease such as the climatic conditions, geographical difference, seasonal In the present study, the prevalence of variation, resistance of the host, different feeding trichomoniasis in pigeons in the city of Mosul, Iraq habits, age of birds, difference in housing conditions, was 16%.In comparison, prevalence of trichomoand others.A similar explanation has been made by niasis was 40.6% in squab pigeons of Egypt (Abdelothers (Saleem et al., 2008).Motelib et al., 1997).Toro et al., (1999) recorded the In this study, trichomoniasis occurred more prevalence of trichomoniasis in free living pigeons in frequently in male than in female pigeons.This result the city of Santiago as 11%.The overall prevalence is in discrepancy with that of Villanua et al. (2006) rate of trichomoniasis in domestic and wild pigeons who found no significant difference in prevalence maintained at the Zoological Garden, Lahore and between males and females.This discrepancy could be Tollinton Market, Lahore, Pakistan was found to be     (Butcher, 2003).In the present study, trichomoniasis 4.

Figure. 1 .
Figure. 1. Yellow necrotic masses of variable size in the oral mucosa of a pigeon with trichomoniasis.

Figure. 2
Figure. 2 Whitish necrotic masses in the mucosa of the esophagus and the crop of a pigeon with trichomoniasis Figure.3.Photomicrograph of the oral cavity of a pigeon with trichomoniasis.The accumulation of necrotic m a t e r i a l ( A ) a n d t h e infiltration of inflammatory cells (B) in the submucosa could be seen.H&E.X90.

Figure
Figure.4.Photomicrograph of the wall of the crop of a Pigeon with trichomoniasis.Necrotic material could be seen on the mucosa (A) and submucosa (B).Infiltration of inflammatory cells could b e a l s o s e e n i n t h e submucosa (arrow).H&E.X90.
gallinae in house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) and due to the difference in the types of pigeons used in the corvids and a Novel trichomonad in mockingbirds (Mimus two studies.The finding of trichomoniasis more polyglottos).Vet.Parasitol.161 (3-4): 178-186.commonly in young than in adult pigeons is in 3. Butcher, G.D. (2003).Pigeon canker.VM 75, Veterinary Medicine -Large Animal Clinical Science Department, accordance with that of others (Butcher, 2003; Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food McDougald, 2003).Carrier pigeons are known to And Agricultural Science, University of Florida.EDIS Web transmit Trichomonads to their young during feeding Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu. rd