Plasmodium (Bennettinia) juxtanucleare Infection in a Captive White Eared-Pheasant (Crossoptilon crossoptilon) at a Japanese Zoo

Abstract

ABSTRACT. An adult male white eared-pheasant (Crossoptilon crossoptilon) at a Japanese zoo exhibited lethargy and emaciation. Microscopic examination of a blood smear revealed a haemosporidian parasitic infection. Based on the morphological characteristics and molecular analysis of the parasite, it was identified as Plasmodium (Bennettinia) juxtanucleare. This is the first report of P. juxtanucleare infection in bird species belonging to the genus Crossoptilon. Caution against avian malaria infection is required for the conservation of endangered bird species in zoos. KEY WORDS: haemosporidian parasite, Plasmodium (Bennettinia) juxtanucleare, white eared-pheasant.

Recent advances in the study of avian malaria: an overview with an emphasis on the distribution of Plasmodium spp in Brazil

“…Interestingly, it is the only Plasmodium species that naturally infects chickens in Brazil, where the prevalence can reach up to 100% in some areas (Santos-Prezoto et al 2004). This species has been also reported in other species of Galliformes (Versiani & Gomes 1941, Massard & Massard 1981, Murata et al 2008) and in penguins (Grim et al 2003). It is clear that the virulence of this parasite depends on the strain of the parasite, which is different for different avian hosts.…”

“…However, the same parasite species has caused severe clinical disorders resulting in the death of several penguins in a rehabilitation centre in Africa (Grim et al 2003). P. juxtanucleare has also been diagnosed in a white-eared pheasant (Crossoptilon crossoptilon) that exhibited serious clinical signs, such as lethargy and pulmonary oedema, in a zoo in Japan (Murata et al 2008). It is possible that the differences observed in the pathogenicity of P. juxtanucleare are due to differences in virulence between parasite lineages in different geographical regions, which have been documented for P. juxtanucleare in chickens (Valkiūnas 2005).…”

Mosquito blood-meal analysis for avian malaria study in wild bird communities: laboratory verification and application to Culex sasai (Diptera: Culicidae) collected in Tokyo, Japan

“…Several works on avian malaria conducted in Japan have inferred existence of transmission of avian malaria parasites among Japanese wild birds (Kano and Kimura 1950;Murata 2002;Murata et al 2008;Ejiri et al 2008); however, the role of Japanese mosquito species as a vector is virtually unknown. Following our experimental study, the same PCR-based method was applied to field samples of blood-fed Culex sasai Kano et al collected in Rinshi-no-mori Park in urban Tokyo, Japan, to assess its potential role as a vector for avian malaria.…”

Prevalence of avian malaria parasite in mosquitoes collected at a zoological garden in Japan

“…However, prevalence of avian malaria in mosquitoes inhabiting at artificial environments such as zoological gardens in Japan has not been reported so far. Several cases of avian malaria parasite infections have been found from captive birds in a zoological garden of Japan (Murata et al 2008a) suggesting the occurrence of infective vector arthropods. In this study, to indicate the competent vectors of avian malaria parasite whose host might be captive birds in a zoological garden of Japan, we collected mosquitoes and carried out the detection of avian malaria parasite DNA from the mosquitoes.…”