Passeriform birds were studied as hosts of monoxenous coccidia (Eimeriidae). 571 faecal samp1es from 46 species were examined. Coccidia were found in 210 samples (36.8%) from 34 host species (73.9% of examined species). 36 oocyst types mostly belonging to the genus lsospora were found (33 types); oocysts of the genera Caryospora and Eimeria were also noted. Caryospora is reported for the first ...

The common term, "malaria parasites," is controversial in its use. Malaria is a disease, not a parasite. Thus, it is not appropriate to write or speak of "malaria infecting a bird." So, the parasites should be referred to as "malaria parasites" just as we might refer to "the cold virus." But, malaria is a human disease, with characteristic symptoms. Infection causes pathology in other vertebrat...

Viruses have been proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia; however, the mechanisms by which infection could cause the affective, cognitive, and movement disorders of schizophrenia are not understood. The neurotropic RNA virus, Borna disease (BD) virus, linked to schizophrenia by serologic studies, causes movement and behavior disorders in a wide variety of mammalian and bir...

A total of 166 individuals from 10 bird species belonging to the family Turdidae were examined for chewing lice in Costa Rica during 2004, 2009 and 2010. A total of 12 species of the louse genus Myrsidea were collected from 54 birds, including four previously named, seven new undescribed species, and one identified as Myrsidea sp. Names, descriptions and illustrations are given for the seven ne...

Sporulated oocysts (mean dimensions = 13.0 x 10.8 tm) and sporocysts (11.3 x 5.5 Mm) of a coccidian resembling Frenkelia sp. or Sarcocystis sp. were present in the lamina propria of the small intestine of a naturallyinfected northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) collected near Medford, Oregon (USA). Dimensions of these oocysts and sporocysts appear to be considerably smaller than th...

H5N1 influenza virus is now endemic in many regions of the world. Outbreaks continue to occur with devastating impact to local economies and threatening human health. The transmission of the virus involves a complex interplay between the spatio-temporal dynamics of the potential avian hosts, the ecology of the virus and poultry farming and trade. Despite increased monitoring of wild bird popula...

Dear Editor, Outside of mid-western United States,1 histoplasmosis is endemic in pockets of Asia (like Indonesia) and Europe (Italy, Hungary, Romania, Britain).2 It is caused by H. capsulatum, a fungus found in barns, old houses or soil contaminated with bird droppings. Airborne spores infect those who inhale it. Disease manifestation is myriad, ranging from a sub-clinical infection to an organ...

Sporulated oocysts (mean dimensions = 13.0 x 10.8 microns) and sporocysts (11.3 x 5.5 microns) of a coccidian resembling Frenkelia sp. or Sarcocystis sp. were present in the lamina propria of the small intestine of a naturally-infected northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) collected near Medford, Oregon (USA). Dimensions of these oocytes and sporocysts appear to be considerably smal...

Introduced parasites are a threat to biodiversity when naïve hosts lack effective defenses against such parasites [1]. Several parasites have recently colonized the Galápagos Islands, threatening native bird populations [2]. For example, the introduced parasitic nest fly Philornis downsi (Diptera: Muscidae) has been implicated in the decline of endangered species of Darwin's finches, such as th...

The spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (AIV) (H5N1) underlines the potential for global AIV movement through birds. The phylogenies of AIV genes from avian hosts usually separate into Eurasian and North American clades, reflecting limited bird migration between the hemispheres. However, mounting evidence that some H6 sequences from North America cluster with Eurasian subtype H6 s...