Non-cultured faecal and gastrointestinal seed samples fail to detect Trichomonad infection in clinically and sub-clinically infected columbid birds

• Published in: Conservation genetics resources 2016-06, Vol.8 (2), p.97-99
• Main Authors: Dunn, Jenny C, Jennifer E. Stockdale, Alexandra McCubbin, Rebecca C. Thomas, Simon J. Goodman, Philip V. Grice, Antony J. Morris, Keith C. Hamer, William O. C. Symondson
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Genetics and Genomics; Biodiversity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Birds of prey; Conservation Biology/Ecology; Ecology; emerging diseases; Evolutionary Biology; feces; gastrointestinal system; Gastrointestinal tract; Infectious diseases; Life Sciences; Morbidity; mortality; mouth; Oral cavity; Parasites; Passeriformes; Plant Genetics and Genomics; polymerase chain reaction; Protozoa; Streptopelia turtur; Technical Note; Trichomonas gallinae; trichomoniasis
• ISSN: 1877-7252; 1877-7260
• DOI: 10.1007/s12686-016-0518-y

Trichomonosis, caused by the protozoan Trichomonas gallinae, is an emerging infectious disease in finches, and is more commonly found in columbids and raptors. Infections can be sub-clinical or cause morbidity and mortality, but the parasite is currently only detectable by incubation of an oral swab. Here, we test whether T. gallinae parasites can be detected by PCR from faecal or non-cultured samples from the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract of infected Turtle Doves (Streptopelia turtur). PCR did not detect T. gallinae parasites in any faecal samples screened, and in only 1 of 11 oral/gastrointestinal samples (from the mouth of a nestling suspected to have died from trichomonosis). We conclude that both oral swabs and parasite culture are still necessary to detect the sub-clinical presence of T. gallinae infection in birds.