An Investigation into the Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Helminths in Pigeons from Zabol, Iran

Abstract

It is not uncommon for pigeons kept for entertainment or competition to be infected with a variety of intestinal parasites, including nematodes and cestodes. Infection by these worms is a risk not only to birds but also to native wildlife and humans. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of helminth infections in pigeons in Zabol County, Iran, and to develop strategies for the prevention and treatment of these infections. A total of 220 pigeons were examined for the presence of parasites in their gastrointestinal tracts between 2021 and 2022. The pigeons were categorized according to gender, breed, age, medication, and feed type. The digestive tract contents were scraped and washed with warm water in order to collect intestinal helminths. A variety of techniques employed for the isolation, observation, and identification of nematodes and cestodes. Additionally,the parasites around the esophageal tissue were also examined in this study. A total of 96 positive cases of helminth infection (43.63%) were identified in the 220 samples of pigeon gastrointestinal tracts examined. In addition, 52 pigeons exhibited exclusive cestode infections, 14 had nematode infections, and 31 had co-infections. Heterakis gallinarum (H. gallinarum), Eulimdana clava (E. clava), Hadjelia truncate (H. truncate), and Ascaridia columbae (A. columbae) were among the nematodes found. Cestode species identified include Raillietina tetragona (R. tetragona), Raillietina echinobothrida (R. echinobothrida), Raillietina cesticillus (R. cesticillus), Raillietina magninumida (R. magninumida), and Cotugnia digonopora (C. digonopora). A statistical analysis of data revealed a significant correlation between helminth infection and drug consumption (p=0.001). Infection with nematodes and cestodes is also associated with pigeon age (p=0.00001). T Notably, despite the hot and dry conditions, there was a high prevalence of cestode and nematode infestations in pigeons in Zabol, Iran. It is imperative that a comprehensive control program be implemented to prevent parasite transmission to pigeons and the local avian ecosystem.

Keywords: Iran; Parasite; Cestode; Nematode; Pigeon.

Figure 1

A: The presence of a significant number of A. gallinarum nematodes in the small intestine of a pigeon during necropsy. B: Observation of a notable number of H. truncata nematodes in the gizzard of a pigeon during carcass necropsy.