Publikationsdatenbank

Investigations into causes of neurologic signs and mortality and the first identification of sarcocystis calchasi in free-ranging woodpeckers in Germany (2018)

Art

Zeitschriftenartikel / wissenschaftlicher Beitrag

Autoren

Ziegler, Luisa

Parmentier, Sylvia Lieselotte

Fischer, Dominik

Heckmann, Julia

Klopfleisch, Robert (WE 12)

Kershaw, Olivia (WE 12)

Ziegler, Ute

Neurath, Hartmud

Schmidt, Volker

Lierz, Michael

Quelle

Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publ. of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians

Bandzählung: 49

Heftzählung: 1

Seiten: 247 – 251

ISSN: 1042-7260

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

DOI: 10.1638/2017-0087R.1

Pubmed: 29517425

Kontakt

Institut für Tierpathologie

Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 15
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62450
pathologie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Between June and November 2015, 25 woodpeckers (Picidae) with neurologic signs or unknown cause of death were admitted to a veterinary clinic. Alive birds were clinically examined. Birds that were found dead or died despite intensive care treatment were forwarded to a pathologic examination. Necropsy and subsequent tests included screening for several infectious agents and toxins. Three birds tested positive for Sarcocystis calchasi. Toxoplasma gondii was detected in one bird demonstrating intracerebral cysts. Mycoplasma gypis was detected in one woodpecker in the absence of respiratory signs. Several microbial pathogens (eg, Aspergillus fumigatus, Clostridium perfringens, and Escherichia coli) were isolated from single individuals. However, there was no consistent finding in all birds that could explain nervous signs and mortality of the woodpeckers examined. To the authors' knowledge, M. gypis and S. calchasi were detected in a woodpecker for the first time in this study.