Abstract:
The annual migration of birds involves a very large number of inter-continental and intra-continental movements in which thousands of bird species participate. These migrations have been associated with the spread of pathogens worldwide, including bacteria, viruses and parasites. This study describes the case of a black stork (Ciconia nigra) that was ringed at the nest in Latvia and died five months later in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula. Post-mortem examination revealed that the cause of death was electrocution. In addition, a massive infection by the trematode Chaunocephalus ferox (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) causing severe granulomatous lesions throughout the small intestine was detected. This is the first report of C. ferox infection in a black stork in the Iberian Peninsula, a trematode that, due to the severe lesions it causes, can affect the health of C. ferox-infected wild birds, particularly in severely infected long-distance migrants. The dispersal of platyhelminths associated with migratory birds is discussed. After the ringing at the nest, the black stork was sighted in Central Europe one month before its capture, and the trematodes found by necropsy were mostly mature adults. Consequently, we estimate that this juvenile animal acquired the infection during its migration in a European area other than the Iberian Peninsula, evidencing a long-distance parasite spread through its migratory host. Our study highlights that bird ringing can be used to understand the epidemiological implications that bird migratory behaviour may have on the dispersal of parasites.
摘要:
鸟类的年度迁徙涉及大量的洲际和洲际运动,成千上万的鸟类参与其中。这些迁徙与病原体在世界范围内的传播有关,包括细菌,病毒和寄生虫。这项研究描述了一只黑鹭(Ciconianigra)在拉脱维亚的巢穴中响起,五个月后在伊比利亚半岛东南部死亡。验尸发现死因是触电。此外,检测到吸虫Chaunocephalusferox(Digenea:Echinostomatidae)的大量感染,在整个小肠中引起严重的肉芽肿性病变。这是伊比利亚半岛的一只黑鹭首次报告,吸虫,由于它引起的严重病变,会影响C.ferox感染的野鸟的健康,特别是严重感染的长途移民。讨论了与候鸟有关的桔梗的传播。在鸟巢的铃声之后,在被捕获前一个月,在中欧发现了黑鹭,尸检发现的吸虫大多是成熟的成年人。因此,我们估计这只幼年动物是在伊比利亚半岛以外的欧洲地区迁徙时感染的,证明远距离的寄生虫通过其迁徙宿主传播。我们的研究强调,鸟鸣可用于了解鸟类迁徙行为可能对寄生虫扩散的流行病学影响。