Systematic and pathologic study of Paratanaisia bragai (Santos, 1934) Freitas, 1959 (Digenea, Eucotylidae) infestation in ruddy ground dove Columbina talpacoti (Temminck, 1811)

Abstract

This is the first report of the digenetic trematode Paratanaisia bragai infestation in a ruddy ground dove Columbina talpacoti, captured in a suburban area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Although with a low prevalence (10%), the intensity of infection was high, considering that 116 worms were recovered from one of the kidneys. Gross lesions were not observed and histopathological analysis showed very dilated renal collecting ducts with destruction and flattening of the lining epithelial cells, without inflammatory reaction. The pathological findings were compared to those previously reported for P. bragai in other hosts, since the proposal of the species in 1934.

Pathology and first occurrence of the kidney trematode Paratanaisia bragai (Santos, 1934) Freitas, 1959 (Digenea: Eucotylidae) in Phasianus colchicus L., 1758, from Brazil

“…In Brazil, the species is one of the most prevalent in domestic birds and has already been reported in the kidneys of the pigeon (Columba livia Gmelin, 1798), the ruddy ground-dove (Columbina talpacoti Temminck, 1811), the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus Linnaeus, 1758), the guinea fowl (Numida meleagris Linnaeus, 1758), the turkey (Meleagris gallopavo Linnaeus, 1758), and also of a wild galliform, the spot-winged wood-quail (Odontophorus capueira Spix, 1825) (Travassos et al 1969, Costa et al 1975, Silva et al 1990, Menezes et al 2001, Pinto et al 2004). The intermediate hosts for P. bragai are the terrestrial snails Subulina octona Brugière, 1789 and Leptinaria unilamellata Orbigny, 1835(Keller & Araujo 1992, Brandolini et al 1997.The parasite has been considered of low pathogenicity, causing mild gross and microscopic lesions in the infected kidneys (Santos 1934, Maldonado 1941, Barretto & Filho 1942, Menezes et al 2001, Pinto et al 2004 ertheless, high parasitic burdens and the nature of the hosts, such as the domestic pigeon and the Puerto Rican plain pigeon (Columba inornata wetmorei), can determine the settling of clinical signs that include apathy, loss of weigh, diarrhoea and death (Portugal et al 1972, Arnizaut et al 1992.These controversial data, referred in the few available studies of the pathology induced by this trematode and the fact that after decades of the first report of the species, two new hosts for P. bragai, the guinea fowl and the ruddy ground-dove have been assigned (Menezes et al 2001, Pinto et al 2004, indicate that the range of the hosts and the lesions associated to this species are not well established so far.This investigation reports to data on the prevalence, mean intensity, mean abundance and range of infection of the digenetic trematode P. bragai and to the gross and microscopic lesions associated with this parasite in ringnecked pheasants from backyard flocks in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the establishment of a new host record. …”

“…In Brazil, the species is one of the most prevalent in domestic birds and has already been reported in the kidneys of the pigeon (Columba livia Gmelin, 1798), the ruddy ground-dove (Columbina talpacoti Temminck, 1811), the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus Linnaeus, 1758), the guinea fowl (Numida meleagris Linnaeus, 1758), the turkey (Meleagris gallopavo Linnaeus, 1758), and also of a wild galliform, the spot-winged wood-quail (Odontophorus capueira Spix, 1825) (Travassos et al 1969, Costa et al 1975, Silva et al 1990, Menezes et al 2001, Pinto et al 2004). The intermediate hosts for P. bragai are the terrestrial snails Subulina octona Brugière, 1789 and Leptinaria unilamellata Orbigny, 1835 (Keller & Araujo 1992, Brandolini et al 1997.…”

“…The parasite has been considered of low pathogenicity, causing mild gross and microscopic lesions in the infected kidneys (Santos 1934, Maldonado 1941, Barretto & Filho 1942, Menezes et al 2001, Pinto et al 2004); nev-ertheless, high parasitic burdens and the nature of the hosts, such as the domestic pigeon and the Puerto Rican plain pigeon (Columba inornata wetmorei), can determine the settling of clinical signs that include apathy, loss of weigh, diarrhoea and death (Portugal et al 1972, Arnizaut et al 1992.…”

“…These controversial data, referred in the few available studies of the pathology induced by this trematode and the fact that after decades of the first report of the species, two new hosts for P. bragai, the guinea fowl and the ruddy ground-dove have been assigned (Menezes et al 2001, Pinto et al 2004, indicate that the range of the hosts and the lesions associated to this species are not well established so far.…”

First report of a natural helminth infection in the Japanese quail Coturnix japonica Temminck & Schlegel (Aves, Phasianidae, Galliformes) in the neotropical region

“…Later, FREITAS (1951) restudied samples of this trematode, deposited in the CHIOC and proposed Tanaisia inopina, taking into account that important morphometric data had been overlooked by ALMEIDA (1936). Later, FREITAS (1959) PINTO et al (2004) the spreading of the avian renal monostomosis due to the presence of Paratanaisia bragai (Santos, 1934) Freitas, 1959 also a kidney trematode, closely related to species of the genus Tanaisia Skrjabin, 1924, in ruddy ground doves, pigeons, chickens, guinea fowls and peacocks, suggests that in the case of T. inopina, the dispersion of the species may be related to the gregariousness and to the feeding habits of the sparrows, that are worldwide distributed. According to BRASIL & AMATO (1992), in the yards where sparrows look for food, terrestrial snails, such as Subulina octona Bruguière, 1789, can act as intermediate hosts for T. inopina, since these snails, when feeding on the watery contents of feces of the parasitized birds, are infected by the miracidia of viable eggs that further develop into metacercariae that are ingested by the sparrows together with the contaminated snails.…”