Avian Malaria in Parrots, Europe | CDC EID

EID Journal Home > Volume 17, Number 5–May 2011

Volume 17, Number 5–May 2011
Letter
Avian Malaria Deaths in Parrots, Europe
Philipp Olias, Maria Wegelin, Wolfgang Zenker, Sabrina Freter, Achim D. Gruber, and Robert Klopfleisch

Author affiliations: Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany (P. Olias, S. Freter, A.D. Gruber, R. Klopfleisch); IDEXX Diavet Labor, Bäch, Switzerland (M. Wegelin); and Animal Clinic Neuwiesen, Uster, Switzerland (W. Zenker)

Suggested citation for this article

To the Editor: Avian malaria is an insect-borne disease induced by a so far unknown number of protozoan blood parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus (hematozoa) (1,2). The unintentional introduction of P. relictum to the Hawaiian Islands, USA, has had fatal effects for the native bird fauna (3). In Europe, asymptomatic blood infections by hematozoa have been regularly observed, with an especially high prevalence in songbirds (4). However, numerous outbreaks of fatal protozoan infections have been reported over the past 40 years, mainly among psittacines of Australia that have been kept in aviaries (5,6). Diagnosis in all these cases was based on histopathologic detection of protozoan cyst-like structures of unexplained origin in the heart and skeletal muscles and, to a lesser extent, in other organs. In most cases, the protozoans were identified as members of the genus Leucocytozoon because of their morphologic features. Recent studies suggest that these cases may, in fact, have been infections of Besnoitia spp. (Sarcocystidae) or other unknown hematozoa (5); however, genetic evidence is lacking.

In August 2010, sudden deaths of parrots were noticed in 2 separate aviaries in northern Germany and Switzerland (Technical Appendix Table [ 103 KB, 1 page]). Nine yellow-crowned parakeets (Cyanoramphus auriceps), 3 barred parakeets (Bolborhynchus lineola), and 2 budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) died within 2–5 days after a history of reduced general condition and reduced activity and food intake before death. In addition, 2 budgerigars and 1 barred parakeet in the aviary in Germany showed lethargy and reduced food intake for 2 weeks but fully recovered. About half of the birds were juvenile. No new birds had been introduced into the aviaries during the previous 24 months.

full-text:
Avian Malaria in Parrots, Europe | CDC EID


Suggested Citation for this Article
Olias P, Wegelin M, Zenker W, Freter S, Gruber AD, Klopfleisch R. Avian malaria deaths in parrots, Europe [letter]. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2011 May [date cited].
http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/17/5/950.htm

DOI: 10.3201/eid1705.101618


Comments to the Authors
Please use the form below to submit correspondence to the authors or contact them at the following address:

Philipp Olias, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 15, 14163 Berlin, Germany; email: olias.philipp@vetmed.fu-berlin.de