The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species and genotypes in birds kept in captivity in Brazil. A total of 966 samples from 18 families of birds was collected and stored in 5% potassium dichromate solution at 4 degrees C until processing. Oocysts were purified in Sheather sugar solution following extraction of genomic DNA. Molecular analyses were performed using nested-PCR for amplification of fragments of the 18S subunit of rRNA gene and of the actin gene. Amplification of Cryptosporidium DNA fragments was obtained in 47 (4.86%) samples. Sequencing of amplified fragments and phylogenetic analyses allowed the identification of Cryptosporidium baileyi in a black vulture (Coragyps atratus), a domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) and a saffron finch (Sicalis flaveola); Cryptosporidium galli in canaries (Serinus canaria), a cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) and lesser seed-finches (Oryzoborus angolensis); Cryptosporidium meleagridis in a domestic chicken (G. g. domesticus); Cryptosporidium parvum in a cockatiel (N. hollandicus); Cryptosporidium avian genotype I in a canary (S. canaria) and an Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus); Cryptosporidium avian genotype II in ostriches (Struthio camelus) and Cryptosporidium avian genotype III in a cockatiel (N. hollandicus) and a peach-faced lovebird (Agapornis roseicolis).

Proventricular infection by Cryptosporidium sp. or Cryptosporidium galli has been associated with mortality, weight loss, diarrhea, and pasty feces. The purpose of this study is to report the occurrence of natural C galli infection in canaries (Serinus canaria), in a cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus), and in lesser seed-finches (Oryzoborus angolensis) with clinical complaints of apathy and sporadic mortality. Screening for Cryptosporidium spp. using microscopic examination of fecal samples and stained smears, histopathology, and nested polymerase chain reaction for actin gene and 18S ribosomal RNA gene following sequencing of amplified fragments allowed for the identification of C galli. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of C galli in birds in Brazil and the first report of this species in lesser seed-finches.

O projeto teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito do uso de enzimas exógenas sobre os grânulos de zimógenos no pâncreas. O projeto foi dividido em três experimentos, sendo o experimento I para avaliação do uso da protease via ração nas dosagens de 50, 100 e 150% das recomendações do fabricante. O experimento II, foi realizado avaliando-se o uso da enzima amilase nas dosagens de 50, 100 e 150% das recomendações do fabricante e o experimento III foi realizado avaliando-se as dosagens de amilase, amilase + fitase, protease e protease + fitase sobre os grânulos de zimógenos. Em cada experimento, foi utilizado delineamento inteiramente casualizado sendo um total de nove tratamentos com oito repetições.Aos 21 e 42 dias de idade, as aves foram sacrificadas por deslocamento cervical para coleta e processamento do pâncreas para análise histopatológica e posterior análise pelo It was performed three experimental trials; the first experiment has evaluated the addition of 50, 100 and 150% of protease manufactory recommendation in the feed. The trial two was conducted to evaluate the addition of 50, 100 and 150% of amylase manufactory recommendation in feed, and the experiment three was conducted to evaluated the addition of amylase, amylase + phytase, protease and protease + phytase in the feed on the zymogens granules. Each experiment was designed totally randomized with a total of nine treatments with eight replicates each. The birds were killed by cervical dislocation at days 21 e 42 to collect the pancreas for histopathology analysis followed by the Image Pro Plus® program analysis, this program allowed to transform the image into a mathematic number, which could be used in statistical analysis. At the experiments I and II, the statistical analysis were conducted by the polynomial regression method and the experiment three was evaluated by Tukey test. A significant reduction (P<0,05) with quadratic effect was observed on the zymogens granules at the experiments I and II. The experiment III show a significant difference between the treatment with phytase 100% + Protease 100% and the control group.