Parasites of African Mourning Dove (Streptopelia decipiens) and the associated haematological and biochemical changes in Nigeria

Abstract

The African Mourning Dove (Streptopelia decipiens), also called the Mourning Collared Dove is a pigeon that is predominantly distributed in Sub-Sahara Africa. Their interaction with man and other domestic and wild birds portends it as a potential carrier of zoonotic parasites but there is paucity of information on the parasites and haemato-biochemical profile of African mourning dove. This study therefore investigated the incidence, prevalence and identification of parasites of African mourning dove, and also evaluated the associated haematology and biochemical profiles. A total of 30 individuals of Streptopelia decipiens were purchased at Bode market in Ibadan from the stock of birds that were sourced from the Northern part of the country. Brush was used to scour the body of each bird to collect ectoparasites over a plain white-coloured paper while the contents of some sections of the gastro- intestinal tracts like crop, trachea, caecum and ileum were examined for endoparasites using the sedimentation method. Blood samples of the birds were also analysed for haemoparasites, haematological and serum biochemistry parameters. About 76.67% of the birds were positive for different parasites: endoparasites [Capillaria species (33.33%), Ascaridia species (26.67%), Raillietina species (6.67%), Eimeria species (3.33%), Davainea species (3.33%) and Amoebataeneaspesies (3.33%)] were found in 15(50%) of the samples while 16(64%) were positive for various haemoparasites (Plasmodium, 40%; Leucocytozoon, 24% and haemoproteus, 20%). No ectoparasites were found in the sampled birds. There were no significant differences in the haematological and serum biochemical parameters of the parasite groups except for cholesterol. This study documented different parasites associated with African mourning dove and the effect of these parasites on haematological and serum biochemistry parameters. There is need for more research work on the pathogens and diseases of African mourning dove.

Keywords: Cattle, Osun State, Parasitic Diseases, Occurrence