Transmission of psittacine haemoproteids
Peirce, M.A.; Montesinos, A.
Veterinary Record 151(6): 187-188
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 12201268 Document Number: 545677
A blue-fronted Amazon parrot (Amazona aestiva) imported from Argentina was kept as a pet in Madrid, Spain for 10 years. Since 1997, blood smears from this bird revealed a persistent low parasitaemia (<1% in April 2002) with an intraerythrocytic microsomal haemoproteid identified as Haemoproteus psittaci. This parasite was first described from imported African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) in the UK and until now has not been recorded from any other psittacine species. It is concluded that this parrot had acquired the infection at some stage during its captivity in Spain, possibly through ceratopogonid vectors from 2 African greys that the Amazon had contact with each summer.