1Veterinary Officer, Department of Veterinary Parasitology, VCRI, TANUVAS, Thirunelveli
2Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Parasitology, VCRI, TANUVAS, Thirunelveli
3Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, VCRI, Namakkal
Veterinary Dispensary, Department of Animal Husbandry, Puthupalayam, Erode-638476 (Tamil Nadu)
*Corresponding author. E-mail: pathovijiology@gmail.com
Online published on 4 May, 2019.
The parasitic diseases are the major economic impact in poultry industry. Pigeons act as a host for many parasites, to maintain life cycle pattern in environment. The present study reports occurrence of parasites in pigeons in Erode, Tamil Nadu. Forty five fecal samples and 15 blood samples were collected from 15 pigeon loft (∼900 birds) and screened for endo and ecto parasites. Ascarida spp. and Capillaria spp. were helminthic eggs encountered with 60.0 and 33.3 percent prevalence respectively. Eimeria spp. (100%) of oocyst and gamonts of Hemoproteus columbae (26%) were the parasites seen, while Pseudolynchia spp. was the only ectoparasite seen. A long term study within pigeon population is essential to know the prevalence and distribution of parasitic infection, risk factors and vector potentiality in pigeon population.
Ascardia spp., capillaria spp., eimeria spp., haemoproteus, pigeon
