Cryptosporidium is the most common protozoan that can infect a wide range of animals, including mammals and birds. Avian Cryptosporidium spp. can cause enteric and respiratory diseases which can be fatal in birds and some species are zoonotic. Companion birds have the potential as reservoir due to their close contact with humans. Pet shops are the major source of companion birds. However, few reports are available regarding Cryptosporidium spp. infection among companion birds kept in pet shops. The present study reports the prevalence and molecular characteristics of Cryptosporidium spp. among companion birds kept in pet shops in Japan. A total of 265 fresh fecal samples were obtained from birds kept in 4 pet shops; these birds belonged to 41 species in 3 bird orders. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the small subunit rRNA gene was employed for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp. A total of 24 samples (9.1%) were positive, and Cryptosporidium spp. were detected from all pet shops. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in each of the bird orders was 6.5% (10/153) in Psittaciformes, 14.4% (13/90) in Passeriformes, and 4.5% (1/22) in Galliformes. Based on sequence analysis, 13 (54.2%) isolates were classified to C. galli, 8 (33.3%) were avian genotype III, and the remaining 3 (12.5%) were C. baileyi. No infection with zoonotic C. meleagridis and no coinfection with multiple Cryptosporidium spp. and/or genotypes were observed. The zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium spp. infecting companion birds kept in pet shops in Japan is likely to be low.
Animals ; Birds ; Coinfection ; Cryptosporidium ; Friends ; Galliformes ; Genes, rRNA ; Genotype ; Humans ; Japan ; Mammals ; Passeriformes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Psittaciformes ; Sequence Analysis

Avian chlamydiosis is caused by Chlamydophila psittaci and considered as one of an important zoonotic disease throughout the world. Among more than 400 avian species including poultry and pet birds susceptible to the disease, psittacine birds were known to be mostly susceptible hosts. In Korea, no outbreak of the disease and genetic analysis of the agent in poultry and pet birds have been reported. With histopathological findings and genetic identification of a causative agent, avian chlamydiosis was identified in parrots submitted from the same pet bird farm in 2006 and 2009 for the diagnosis. Based on genetic sequences and phylogenetic analysis of ompA gene, the two isolates of Chlamydophila psittaci showed 100% of genetic similarity and belonged to genotype A, suggesting that the same agent might be continuously circulated in the farm. This result indicates that serological survey of the disease in pet bird farms and impact of the disease on significance in public health may be further studied.
Birds ; Chlamydophila ; Chlamydophila psittaci ; Genotype ; Korea ; Parrots ; Poultry ; Public Health

Adult ; Alternaria ; immunology ; Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic ; immunology ; Animals ; Antibodies ; immunology ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; immunology ; Antibodies, Fungal ; immunology ; Antigens ; immunology ; Antigens, Bacterial ; immunology ; Antigens, Fungal ; immunology ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; immunology ; Asymptomatic Diseases ; Candida albicans ; immunology ; Cladosporium ; immunology ; Columbidae ; immunology ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; immunology ; Male ; Melopsittacus ; immunology ; Middle Aged ; Mucor ; immunology ; Nocardia ; immunology ; Parrots ; immunology ; Penicillium chrysogenum ; immunology ; Stachybotrys ; immunology ; Thermoactinomyces ; immunology

A case, 21 years old male, of Oculodentodigital dysplasia characterized with microphthalmia, micrccornea, parrot beak nose, dental anormalies, hypotrichosis and syndactyly. A brief review of literature is described.
Animals ; Beak ; Humans ; Hypotrichosis ; Male ; Microphthalmos ; Nose ; Parrots ; Syndactyly ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Only a few cases of keratoconjunctivitis caused by Chlamydophila psittaci have been reported worldwide, and no case reported in Korea. We report an atypical case of keratoconjunctivitis caused by Chlamydophila psittaci. CASE SUMMARY: A 34-year-old male patient who had raised a parrot at home presented with three weeks of conjunctival injection and a week of ocular pain in his left eye. There were papillae on the left upper and lower tarsal conjunctiva and punctuate epithelial erosion of the entire cornea. He also complained of dizziness, fever, and dyspnea. Upon chest X-ray, consolidation on the right middle lobe was apparent. The Chlamydophila IgM antibody test was positive, and the pneumonia improved quickly. Nevertheless, signs of keratoconjunctivitis persisted despite 3-week treatment with oral doxycycline. As a result, the patient received an additional 10-day treatment with oral azithromycin. Four weeks after the first visit, symptoms were improving gradually, and, after six weeks, no signs of keratoconjunctivitis remained except minimal erosion. CONCLUSIONS: When patients show keratoconjunctivitis after contact with a bird, prolonged ketatoconjunctivitis by Chlamydophila psittaci should be considered.
Adult ; Azithromycin ; Birds ; Chlamydophila ; Chlamydophila psittaci ; Conjunctiva ; Cornea ; Dizziness ; Doxycycline ; Dyspnea ; Eye ; Fever ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Keratoconjunctivitis ; Korea ; Male ; Parrots ; Pneumonia ; Thorax

Toxoplasma gondii atypical type II genotype was diagnosed in a pet peach-faced lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis) based on histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and multilocus DNA typing. The bird presented with severe neurological signs, and hematology was suggestive of chronic granulomatous disease. Gross post-mortem examination revealed cerebral hemorrhage, splenomegaly, hepatitis, and thickening of the right ventricular free wall. Histologic sections of the most significant lesions in the brain revealed intralesional protozoan organisms associated with malacia, spongiform changes, and a mild histiocytic response, indicative of diffuse, non-suppurative encephalitis. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the causative organisms to be T. gondii. DNA isolated from the brain was used to confirm the presence of T. gondii DNA. Multilocus genotyping based on SAG1, altSAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and Apico markers demonstrated the presence of ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype #3 and B1 gene as atypical T. gondii type II. The atypical type II strain has been previously documented in Australian wildlife, indicating an environmental transmission route.
Agapornis/*parasitology ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Bird Diseases/*parasitology ; Genotype ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Pets/*parasitology ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Toxoplasma/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/*parasitology

In 2005, an avian influenza virus stain was isolated from Parrot in Guangdong, which was then genotyped as H5N2 subtype and designated as A/Parrot/Guangdong/268/2005. According to the current OIE definition on the low-pathogenicity of avian influenza virus, the strain was recognized as a low pathogenic avian influenza virus due to the presence of one basic amino acid residue at the HA cleavage site. Some molecular characteristics of the virus, such as potential glycosylation sites in HA and NA, receptor binding sites of HA, and drug resistance site of NA, showed no variations. To analyze molecular evolution of this strain, we selected the sequences of H5N2 subtype AIVs from GenBank and established the phylogenetic trees. Our results indicated that this strain shared the highest homologies with the H5N2 LPAI isolate A/Pheasant/NJ/1355/1998-like. Phylogenic analysis revealed the isolate, together with A/Chicken/Pennsylvania/1/1983 (H5N2), belonged to America lineages and clustered with A/Pheasant/NJ/1355/1998-like.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Evolution, Molecular ; Genes, Viral ; genetics ; Influenza A Virus, H5N2 Subtype ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza in Birds ; virology ; Parrots ; virology ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Viral Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics