Abstract

PEREZ-GARCIA, Janeth; MONSALVE-ARCILA, Daniela  and  MARQUEZ-VILLEGAS, Camilo. Presence of parasites and enterobacterial infection in feral pigeons (Columba livia) in urban areas in Envigado, Colombia. Rev. Fac. Nac. Salud Pública [online]. 2015, vol.33, n.3, pp.370-376. ISSN 0120-386X.  https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.rfnsp.v33n3a06.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the presence of public health importance parasitic and enterobacterial infection in feral pigeons Columba livia in urban areas of Envigado, Colombia. Methodology: Descriptive transversal prospective study, 40 pigeons were taken from six different places in the urban areas. The feathers were evaluated to determine ectoparasitic infestation, coanal and cloacae swab, and blood from the axillar vein. Direct examination of feces with saline and iodine solution, flotation technique and Ziehl-Neelsen stain were made. Haemoparasites were diagnose with Hemacolor® and Wright stain in thin blood smears and Enterobacteriales with API 20e®. Descriptive statistics was made and a correlation analysis between haemoparasites and ectoparasites. RESULTS : Escherichia coli (95%), Haemoproteus spp. (73%), Columbicola columbae (64%), oocysts compatible with Eimeria spp. (55%), Pseudolynchia canariensis (52%), Trichomona spp. (40%), Capillaria spp. (28%), Menopon gallinae (24%), Ascaridia spp. (8%), and one case of Enterobacter cloacae. The presence of Ornithonyssus bursa was identified in some birds nest included in the study. DISCUSSION: Even there are sporadic reports about those parasites and enterobacterias in humans in literature revision; the microorganisms isolated in this study had a low risk of transmission in a person; although they can became a veterinary public health problem because their potential infection source to urban wildlife animals, which they share water, food and refuge. CONCLUSION: the most important percentage was oocysts compatible with Eimeria spp (55%) and enterobacterias like E. coli (95%). Ornithonyssus bursa in nest is the evidence of a potential zoonotic agent, responsible of dermatological lesions in humans in direct contact with them.

Keywords : Columbidae; zoonoses; protozoan; bacterial infection; ectoparasite.

        · abstract in Spanish | Portuguese     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )