Abstract
A clinical Haemoproteus columbae infection in a two months rock pigeon was diagnosed on the basis of outward signs and blood smear examination. The clinical signs suggestive of pigeon malaria were anorexia, depression, inability to fly, circling movements and episodes of torticollis. The characteristic halter shaped gametocytes were seen, in thin blood smear, encircling the nucleus of erythrocytes. Buparvaquone therapy, two intramuscular injections at the rate of 5 mg/kg at 72 h interval, was successful. Supplementation of multivitamin helped in speedy recovery and clinical signs along with uncommon torticollis, completely disappeared in one week.
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Acknowledgments
The authors express sincere thanks to Director, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, for providing ample facilities to conduct the current work.
Authors’ contributions
This is an uncommon clinical case of H. columbae infection in a pigeon, being adjudged and reported by Vivek Joshi. Umesh Dimri guided to build the manuscript. Shahjahan Alam, and A.Gopalakrishnan helped in microscopic examination of H. columbae and correction of manuscript.
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Joshi, V., Dimri, U., Alam, S. et al. Buparvaquone therapy in a rock pigeon infected with Haemoproteus columbae showing torticollis. J Parasit Dis 41, 514–516 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-016-0840-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-016-0840-z