Abstract
Finch trichomonosis is an emerging infectious disease through European countries caused by one clonal Trichomonas gallinae strain. Initially detected in the UK in 2005, the disease spread most likely by seasonal migration of Chaffinches to continental Europe. Finch trichomonosis caused decline in population of Greenfinches and to lesser extend in Chaffinch population. Though predominant occurrence of finch trichomonosis in Greenfinches and Chaffinches the disease was infrequently simultaneously diagnosed also in other passerine species. The prevalence of T. gallinae in non-fringillids was unknown and possibility that other passerine birds could host the parasite and contribute to spreading of the disease was discussed. In the light of early reports of finch trichomonosis outbreaks from UK, preliminary testing of free-living passerines for the presence of T. gallinae started in 2006. Since we were unsuccessful to catch fringilid species in mist nets, we were looking for other migrating birds, mainly non-fringilid passerines. Crop/deep oesophageal swabs from 121 birds were taken and all were negative. After finch trichomonosis outbreak in August 2012, further observations and monitoring were carried out. In September 2013, different non-fringilid passerines were captured during autumn migration and examined for the presence on T. gallinae. Altogether, 125 birds from 26 different species and 10 families were sampled. All samples were negative on presence of T. gallinae. Based on literature data and our results, cases of T. gallinae positive birds amongst non-fringilids are very uncommon and should be rather attributed to accidental spread of infection from diseased fringilids or other primary hosts, especially columbids.
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The birds were caught into mist nets and sampled with permission from the Slovenian Environment Agency, Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Republic of Slovenia (permit number 35601-125/2009-8).
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Zadravec, M., Trilar, T., Slavec, B. et al. No evidence of Trichomonas gallinae in free-living non-fringilid passerine birds in Slovenia. Eur J Wildl Res 62, 369–372 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-016-0998-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-016-0998-9