Prevalence of encysted apicomplexans in muscles of raptors

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology Vol. 80; no. 4; pp. 341 - 344
• Main Authors: Lindsay, David S, Blagburn, Byron L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 28-01-1999
• Subjects: acid pepsin digestion technique; Animals; Apicomplexa; Apicomplexa - classification; Apicomplexa - isolation & purification; apicomplexan zoites; Bird Diseases - epidemiology; birds of prey; breast muscle; cysts; detection; developmental stages; diagnostic techniques; eagles; Falco sparverius; Haemoproteus spp; hawks; heart; Heart - parasitology; kites; Pandion haliaetus; Pectoralis Muscles - parasitology; Pepsin A - metabolism; Prevalence; Protozoan Infections, Animal - epidemiology; Raptor; Raptors - parasitology; Sarcocystis - isolation & purification; Sarcocystis spp; Southeastern United States - epidemiology; Strigiformes; Toxoplasma gondii; vultures; Southeastern United States; Sarcocystis spp; Apicomplexa; Haemoproteus spp; Toxoplasma gondii; Prevalence; Raptor
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-4017(98)00228-3

An acid–pepsin digestion technique was used to examine portions of breast muscle and heart from raptors for encysted protozoans. Apicomplexan zoites were present in 52 (45.6%) of the 114 samples examined: 11 of 12 (91.7%) red-shouldered hawks (
Buteo lineatus), 20 of 34 (58.8%) red-tailed hawks (
Buteo jamaicensis), two of seven (28.6%) Cooper's hawks (
Accipiter cooperi), three of four (75%) sharp-shinned hawks (
Accipiter striatus), one (100%) Mississippi kites (
Ictinia misisippiensis), one of two (50%) American kestrels (
Falco sparverius), one bald eagle (
Haliaeetus leucocephalus), one of two (50%) golden eagles (
Aquila chrysaetos), one of three (33%) turkey vultures (
Cathartes aura), two of three (66.7%) black vultures (
Coragyps atratus), three of six (50%) great-horned owls (
Bubo virginianus), five of 15 (33.3%) barred owls (
Strix varia), and one of 12 (8.3%) screech owls (
Asio otus). Encysted protozoans were not observed in digests of tissues from three broad-winged hawks (
Buteo platypterus), four ospreys (
Pandion haliaetus), and five barn owls (
Tyto alba). Apicomplexan cysts resembling
Sarcocystis species were observed in tissue sections of muscles from 28 (37.8%) of 74 raptors.