Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Lovebird with severe brain signs diagnosed with toxoplasmosis
By Cooper, Madalyn K et al.·Published in The Korean journal of parasitology·2015·Faculty of Veterinary Science, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Toxoplasmosis in a Pet Peach-Faced Lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis).
- Species:
- bird
Plain-English summary
A pet peach-faced lovebird was brought in showing severe neurological symptoms, which included issues with movement and coordination. Unfortunately, the bird was diagnosed with toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii, which led to significant brain damage and other organ issues. Despite the veterinary team's efforts to diagnose and understand the infection, the lovebird did not survive due to the severity of the disease. This case highlights the risks of environmental transmission of this parasite, which can affect birds and other animals.
People also search for: lovebird neurological symptoms · toxoplasmosis in birds · pet bird brain infection treatment
Abstract
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.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26797444/