Prevalence of parasites of some wild birds in a tropical rainforest zone of Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The prevalence of ecto-, blood and gastrointestinal helminth parasitic infection was conducted among free-ranging wild birds in Benin City, Nigeria. Birds were collected by traps and cages, identified and the parasites were collected following standard procedures. A total of 224 wild birds comprising 24 species were used for this study (107 were examined for ecto- and gastrointestinal helminth parasites respectively while 117 were examined for blood parasites only). Ninety-nine (92.52%) were infected with ectoparasites which included mainly Columbicola columbae, Menopon gallinae, Chelopistes melagridis while 105 (98.13%) with gastrointestinal helminth parasites comprising majorly Ascaridia galli, Raillietina cesticillus, Heterakis gallinarum, however, it was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Thirty-eight birds (32.48%) of the 117 were infected with blood parasites out of which 34 (29.06%) were infected with Plasmodium species while 4 (3.42%) with Leucocytozoon sp. Columbicola columbae was the most abundant ectoparasite recorded and M. plegadis, Ixodes sp and Dermanyssus gallinae occurred with two individuals each. The most abundant gastrointestinal helminth parasite recorded was R. cesticillus while Choanotaenia infundibulum and A. galli occurred with intermediate abundances. The highest number (43, 35.83%) of ectoparasites was recorded in Ploceus cucullatus, Streptopelia roseogrisea was the most infected with gastrointestinal helminths (76, 69.72%). Some of the parasites recovered are of both economic and public health importance, thus they may affect the population and biodiversity of wild birds. These birds may therefore, serve as reservoirs of infection for man and his domestic animals.

Keywords: Wild birds; prevalence; Columbicola columbae; Raillietina cesticillus; Plasmodium sp.