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Evidence of Spread of the Emerging Infectious Disease, Finch Trichomonosis, by Migrating birds

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Abstract

Finch trichomonosis emerged in Great Britain in 2005 and led to epidemic mortality and a significant population decline of greenfinches, Carduelis chloris and chaffinches, Fringilla coelebs, in the central and western counties of England and Wales in the autumn of 2006. In this article, we show continued epidemic spread of the disease with a pronounced shift in geographical distribution towards eastern England in 2007. This was followed by international spread to southern Fennoscandia where cases were confirmed at multiple sites in the summer of 2008. Sequence data of the ITS1/5.8S/ITS2 ribosomal region and part of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene showed no variation between the British and Fennoscandian parasite strains of Trichomonas gallinae. Epidemiological and historical ring return data support bird migration as a plausible mechanism for the observed pattern of disease spread, and suggest the chaffinch as the most likely primary vector. This finding is novel since, although intuitive, confirmed disease spread by migratory birds is very rare and, when it has been recognised, this has generally been for diseases caused by viral pathogens. We believe this to be the first documented case of the spread of a protozoal emerging infectious disease by migrating birds.

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Acknowledgements

Tha authors thank the BTO Garden BirdWatch participants, Varpu Hirvelä-Koski, Perttu Koski, Petra Heikkinen and Roland Mattson. The British and Irish Ringing Scheme is funded through a partnership between the BTO, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (on behalf of Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Countryside Council for Wales and the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside in Northern Ireland), BirdWatch Ireland and the ringers themselves. We thank all those who have marked or reported birds over the years. This is a publication of the Garden Bird Health initiative, which received financial support from the following organisations; Birdcare Standards Association, British Trust for Ornithology, British Veterinary Association Animal Welfare Foundation, CJ Wildbird Foods, Cranswick Pet Products, Defra, Gardman Ltd, RCVS Trust Small Grants Programme Reference 000443, RSPB, John and Pamela Salter Trust (R16982), Tom Chambers Ltd., and the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK

    Becki Lawson, Shinto K. John & Andrew A. Cunningham

  2. University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus Neston, South Wirral, CH64 7TE, UK

    Becki Lawson, Julian Chantrey, Laura A. Hughes & Malcolm Bennett

  3. British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, UK

    Robert A. Robinson & Mike P. Toms

  4. Department of Pathology and Wildlife Diseases, National Veterinary Institute, 751 89, Uppsala, Sweden

    Aleksija Neimanis & Erik O. Agren

  5. Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ullevålsveien 68, 0454, Oslo, Norway

    Kjell Handeland & Inger S. Hamnes

  6. Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Production Animal and Wildlife Health Research Unit, Elektroniikkatie 3, 90590, Oulu, Finland

    Marja Isomursu

  7. Biomedical Research Centre, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

    Kevin M. Tyler

  8. Disease Surveillance Centre, Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Ayr, KA6 5AE, UK

    Tom W. Pennycott

  9. Wildlife Veterinary Investigation Centre, Jollys Bottom Farm, Chacewater, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 8PB, UK

    Vic R. Simpson

  10. Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL, UK

    Kirsi M. Peck

  11. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, AL4 8AN, UK

    James K. Kirkwood

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  1. Becki Lawson
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  8. Kevin M. Tyler
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  9. Julian Chantrey
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  10. Laura A. Hughes
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  11. Tom W. Pennycott
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  12. Vic R. Simpson
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  13. Shinto K. John
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  14. Kirsi M. Peck
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  15. Mike P. Toms
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  16. Malcolm Bennett
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  17. James K. Kirkwood
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  18. Andrew A. Cunningham
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Correspondence to Becki Lawson.

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Lawson, B., Robinson, R.A., Neimanis, A. et al. Evidence of Spread of the Emerging Infectious Disease, Finch Trichomonosis, by Migrating birds. EcoHealth 8, 143–153 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-011-0696-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-011-0696-8

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