metacercariae infection in the second intermediate host dragonfly in Heilongjiang Province, China

Prosthogonimiasis poses a threat to the reproductive system of poultry and wild birds, which are the definitive hosts of the parasite causing this disease. However, the parasite infection of the second intermediate host (dragonfly), the primary vector of this pathogen, is rarely reported. In this study, the prevalence of Prosthogonimus infection in dragonflies was investigated from June 2019 to October 2022 in Heilongjiang Province, northeast China. The species of metacercariae isolated from dragonfly were identified by morphological characteristics, molecular biology techniques, and animal infection experiments. The results showed that 11 species of dragonflies and one damselfly were identified and among six of the dragonflies infected by Prosthogonimus metacercariae, Sympetrum depressiusculum (28.53%) had the highest infection rate among all positive dragonflies, followed by Sympetrum vulgatum (27.86%) and Sympetrum frequens (20.99%), which are preferred hosts, and the total prevalence was 20.39% (2061/10,110) in Heilongjiang Province. Three species of Prosthogoniumus metacercariae were isolated, including Prosthogonimus cuneatus, Prosthogonimus pullucidus, and Prosthogonimus sp., among which P. cuneatus was the dominant species in dragonflies in Heilongjiang Province. This is the first report on the prevalence of Prosthogonimus in dragonflies in China, which provides baseline data for the control of prosthogonimiasis in Heilongjiang Province and a reference for the prevention of prosthogonimiasis in other areas of China.

Morphological, molecular, and pathological studies on Prosthogonimus cuneatus in Indian peacocks (Pavo cristatus)

This report provides the first record of Prosthogonimus cuneatus infection in Indian peafowl. Chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, and other pet birds are recognized as direct hosts of Prosthogonimus species; however, P. cuneatus has not been reported to infect peafowl globally. Here, we identify the trematode present in the bursa of the peafowl by both morphological and molecular methods, in addition to the changes in the bursal tissue induced by the parasite, using histopathology. After a necropsy examination, the trematodes were found in the bursa of Fabricius in three peafowl. Morphological and molecular approaches based on taxonomic characteristics and the sequencing of the trematode-specific internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene, respectively, were employed for trematode identification. The consensus sequences were compared to P. cuneatus reference sequences from GenBank. In order to assess the pathology caused by the parasite, a histological study of the bursa was also performed. Trematodes were confirmed as P. cuneatus based on morphology and DNA sequencing. Further, histopathological evaluation revealed mild lymphoid depletion of the bursal follicles in both the cortex and medulla with associated thinning of the bursal follicular lining epithelium. Indian peafowl can act as a natural host of P. cuneatus. This study provides a detailed pathological and molecular analysis of P. cuneatus affecting Indian peafowl.

The oviduct fluke, Prosthogonimus species in wild birds, Türkiye

BACKGROUND

Prosthogonimus species is considered one of the most important pathogen parasites of poultry and wild birds because it causes defective egg formation, and deaths can be seen as a result of peritonitis. The genus Prosthogonimus is all-around and has been reported in many areas worldwide. This study is research on the presence of Prosthogonimus species, one of the most pathogen trematodes of birds, in Türkiye and wild birds.

OBJECTIVE

We conducted the present study to investigate the presence and prevalence of Prosthogonimus spp. in Türkiye.

METHODS

We studied 183 individuals of 62 wild bird species in the Kızılırmak Delta. Wild birds that died naturally were necropsied and searched for oviducal flukes.

RESULTS

After performing our parasitological study, we found that 4/180 birds were infected with Prosthogonimus spp. Aythya ferina, Ciconia ciconia, Erithacus rubecula and Turdus philomelos were infected with Prosthogonimus pellucidus, Prosthogonimus macrorchis, Prosthogonimus cuneatus and Prosthogonimus ovatus, respectively. Prosthogonimus species was reported for the first time from Türkiye, together with all species found.

CONCLUSION

The presence of Prosthogonimus species in Türkiye and wild birds was determined. We constructed a key of our found Prosthogonimus species based on their morphological characters.