A parasitic disease in Eider Ducks

Garden, Elizabeth A.; Rayski, C.; Thom, Valerie M.

doi:10.1080/00063656409476078

Cited by 18 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Infection prevalences exceeding 90% are frequently mentioned in other studies, such as from the west coast of Sweden (Persson et al, 1974), Scotland (Liat and Pike, 1980) and the Wadden Sea (Camphuysen et al, 2002;Thieltges et al, 2006), and Newfoundland (Bishop and Threlfall, 1974). The possible role of P. botulus as a direct cause of mortality of eiders has been suggested (Garden et al, 1964, Persson et al, 1974, but heavy infection levels have also been reported from apparently healthy eiders showing no ill effects (Liat and Pike, 1980;Thompson, 1985a). Recent studies of eiders affected by an oil spill in the northern Wadden Sea (i.e.…”

Section: Parasobolevi Was Clearly the Dominant Representative Of Gmentioning

confidence: 96%

Association of helminth infections and food consumption in common eiders Somateria mollissima in Iceland

Skírnisson

2015

Journal of Sea Research

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Section: Parasobolevi Was Clearly the Dominant Representative Of Gmentioning

confidence: 96%

Association of helminth infections and food consumption in common eiders Somateria mollissima in Iceland

Skírnisson

2015

Journal of Sea Research

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“…Suitable intermediate hosts for Polymorphus botulus are not found in the eider breeding areas, and these parasites have not been associated with eider duckling mortality in the area. Elsewhere, acanthocephalans also have been commonly found in parasitologic surveys of wild waterfowl, including eiders (Garden, 1964;Bishop and Threlfall, 1974;Thompson, 1985), but experimental studies of the possible health effects of these parasites on their avian host are rare.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Experimental Study on the Effects of Polymorphiasis in Common Eider Ducklings

Hollmén

Lehtonen

Sankari

et al. 1999

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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Eight common eider (Somateria mollissima) ducklings were experimentally infected from 1 June through 13 June, 1995 with acanthocephalans (Polymorphus minutus) by allowing the birds to feed on Gammarus spp. (Gammarus oceanicus, G. salinus, G. zaddachi, and G. lacustris) containing acanthocephalan cystacanths. Uninfected Gammarus spp. were fed to a control group of seven ducklings. No mortality of ducklings occurred during the experiment. However, the infected ducklings gained weight more slowly than the control birds. After the 2 wk study period, the mean serum concentrations of total protein, albumin, ␤-globulin, ␥-globulin, fructosamine and creatine kinase were lower in the infected group than in the controls. The mean (ϮSE) number of acanthocephalans in the intestine of the infected ducklings was 21 (Ϯ4). The parasites were attached to the mucosa of the posterior small intestine of the infected ducklings with a mixed inflammatory reaction consisting of heterophils and mononuclear lymphocytes surrounding the attachment sites.

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“…Infection prevalences exceeding 90% are frequently mentioned in other studies, such as from the west coast of Sweden (Persson et al, 1974), Scotland (Liat and Pilke, 1980) and the Wadden Sea (Camphuysen et al, 2002;Thieltges et al, 2006), and Newfoundland (Bishop and Threlfall, 1974). The possible role of P. botulus as a direct cause of mortality of eiders has been suggested (Garden et al, 1964;Persson et al, 1974), but heavy infection levels have also been reported from apparently healthy eiders showing no ill effects (Liat and Pilke, 1980;Thompson, 1985a). Recent studies of eiders affected by an oil spill in the northern Wadden Sea (i.e.…”

Section: Other Parasitesmentioning

confidence: 95%

Reprint of ‘Association of helminth infections and food consumption in common eiders Somateria mollissima in Iceland’

Skírnisson

2016

Journal of Sea Research

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Common eider Somateria mollissima L. 1758, subsp. borealis, is widely distributed along the coasts of Iceland. In this study association of parasite infections and food composition was studied among 40 females and 38 males (66 adults, 12 subadults), shot under license on four occasions within the same year (February; before egglaying in May; after the breeding period in late June; and in November) in Skerjafjörður, SW Iceland. Parasitological examinations revealed 31 helminth species (11 digeneans, ten cestodes, seven nematodes, and three acanthocephalans). Distinct digenean species parasitized the gallbladder, kidney and bursa of Fabricius, whereas other helminths parasitized the gastrointestinal tract. Thirty-six invertebrate prey species were identified as food; waste and bread fed by humans, were also consumed by some birds. Amidostomum acutum was the only parasite found with a direct life cycle, whereas other species were food transmitted and ingested with different invertebrate prey. Opposite to females male birds rarely utilized periwinkles and gammarids as a food source. As a result, Microphallus and Microsomacanthus infection intensities were low except in February, when subadult males were responsible for an infection peak. Females caring for young increased their consumption of periwinkles close to the littoral zone in June; during pre-breeding, females also increased their gammarid intake. As a consequence, Microphallus and Microsomacanthus infection intensities temporarily peaked. Increased food intake (including Mytilus edulis) of females before the egg-laying period resulted in twofold higher Gymnophallus bursicola infection intensity than observed for males. Profilicollis botulus infection reflected seasonal changes in decapod consumption in both genders. Different life history strategies of males and females, especially before and during the breeding season and caring of young, and during molting in distinct feeding areas in summer, promote differences in consumption of prey-transmitted parasites that result in distinct infection patterns of the genders.

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A parasitic disease in Eider Ducks

Cited by 18 publications

References 3 publications

Association of helminth infections and food consumption in common eiders Somateria mollissima in Iceland

Association of helminth infections and food consumption in common eiders Somateria mollissima in Iceland

An Experimental Study on the Effects of Polymorphiasis in Common Eider Ducklings

Reprint of ‘Association of helminth infections and food consumption in common eiders Somateria mollissima in Iceland’

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