In the summer of 2010 an epidemic of West Nile virus (WNV) occurred in Central Macedonia, Greece, with 197 human neuroinvasive disease (WNND) cases. In the following years the virus spread to new areas, with a total of 76 WNND cases in 2011, and 109 WNND cases in 2012 (14 and 12 WNND cases, respectively, in Central Macedonia). We established a surveillance system based on serological testing of...

Sarcosporidian cysts in the skeletal muscle of domestic pigeons (Columba livia f. domestica) have previously been attributed to infection with Sarcocystis falcatula, which is shed in the faeces of the opossum (Didelphis virginiana). Here, we describe fatal spontaneous encephalitis and myositis associated with Sarcocystis infections in three flocks of racing pigeons with 47 of 244 animals affect...

The possibility that displacement activities might be consequences of stress-induced humoral responses was investigated. Adrenocorticotropic hormone and glucose were injected into the brain ventricles of unrestrained domestic pigeons. ACTH leads to an increased frequency of yawning and headshaking and glucose to a decrease in arousal. It is concluded that these behavioural responses correspond ...

West Nile virus (WNV) has caused disease in humans, equids, and birds at lower frequency in Mexico than in the United States. We hypothesized that the seemingly reduced virulence in Mexico was caused by attenuation of the Tabasco strain from southeastern Mexico, resulting in lower viremia than that caused by the Tecate strain from the more northern location of Baja California. During 2006-2008,...

Ventilatory control of the composition of the gases in the air sacs was studied during entry into fasting-induced, shallow, nocturnal hypothermia in the domestic pigeon (Columba livia). Respiratory frequency (/), tidal volume (Vi) and oxygen uptake (VcO were recorded simultaneously in six pigeons; partial pressures of CO2 and O2 in the abdominal and interclavicular air sacs were measured in sev...

the aim of this study was to investigate the histopathology of avian tuberculosis in naturally infected domestic pigeons (columba livia var. domestica) with mycobacterium aviumsubsp.avium. avian tuberculosis is one of the most important diseases that affect all species of birds, and is most often caused by mycobacterium avium and mycobacterium genavense. eighty out of more than 600 pigeons were...

Birds display remarkable diversity in the distribution and morphology of scales and feathers on their feet, yet the genetic and developmental mechanisms governing this diversity remain unknown. Domestic pigeons have striking variation in foot feathering within a single species, providing a tractable model to investigate the molecular basis of skin appendage differences. We found that feathered ...

The importance of the lateral telencephalon of the pigeon for visual performance was examined. Lesions in this area markedly impaired both the acquisition and the retention of instrumentally learned hue, intensity and pattern discriminations. Comparable lesions of the thalamofugal visual projection in the dorsoanterior telencephalon did not have an appreciable effect. Laterally lesioned pigeons...