Coccidian parasites from birds at rehabilitation centers in Portugal, with notes on Avispora bubonis in Old World

Abstract Portugal has some rehabilitation centers for wild animals, which are responsible for the rehabilitation and reintroduction of birds, among other animals, into the wild. Coccidian parasites of these wild birds in rehabilitation centers are especially important because these centers can introduce coccidian species into new environments through the reintroduction of their respective hosts. In this context, the current study aimed to identify intestinal coccidia from wild birds at two rehabilitation centers for wild animals located in two municipalities of Portugal. Eighty-nine wild birds of 9 orders and 11 families were sampled, of which 22 (25%) were positive for Coccidia. Avispora spp. were found in raptors. Sporocysts of Sarcocystinae subfamily were recovered from owls. An Isospora sp. was found in Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758, and an Eimeria sp. was found in Fulica atra Linnaeus, 1758. Among the coccidian species, Avispora bubonis (Cawthorn, Stockdale, 1981) can be highlighted. The finding of this species indicates that transmission of coccidians from the New World to the Old World may be occurring, potentially through dispersion by Bubo scandiacus (Linnaeus, 1758) through Arctic regions or by means of anthropic activities, and/or through other unknown mechanisms.

摘要 葡萄牙境内设有多家野生动物康复中心，主要负责包括鸟类在内的多种野生动物的康复治疗与野外放归工作。针对康复中心内野生鸟类的球虫寄生虫开展研究具有特殊重要性，原因在于此类中心可通过宿主的野外放归，将球虫物种引入此前未曾接触的全新环境。在此研究背景下，本研究旨在对葡萄牙两座市镇内两家野生动物康复中心的野生鸟类肠道球虫进行鉴定。本次研究共采样了隶属于9目11科的89只野生鸟类，其中22只（占比25%）球虫检测结果呈阳性。在猛禽体内检出了阿维孢属（Avispora）物种；从鸮形目鸟类体内分离得到了肉孢子虫亚科（Sarcocystinae）的孢子囊；在乌鸫（Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758）体内发现1株等孢球虫未定种（Isospora sp.），在白骨顶（Fulica atra Linnaeus, 1758）体内发现1株艾美耳球虫未定种（Eimeria sp.）。在本次检出的球虫物种中，尤以Avispora bubonis (Cawthorn, Stockdale, 1981)最为引人注目。该物种的检出提示，球虫可能正发生从新大陆到旧大陆的跨区域传播，其潜在传播途径包括通过雪鸮（Bubo scandiacus (Linnaeus, 1758)）经北极地区扩散、人类活动介导，或是其他尚未明确的未知机制。