Abstract

EIMERIA SPECIES OOCYST MORPHOMETRY AND PREVALENCE OF INFECTION IN DOMESTICATED PIGEON (COLUMBA LIVIA DOMESTICA) CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR, MAHARASHTRA

Tabasum Bebum Shiakh*, Dr. Feroz Shaikh and Dr. Iliyas Fazil

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Abstract

Prevalence of Emeria species among domesticated pigeons (Columba livia domestica) in was investigated. Floatation method was used to concentrate the coccidian oocysts using saturated sucrose solution. Sporulation technique was used to determine the size and morphological characteristics of the oocysts. Overall, 41 (40.6%) out of a total of 101 faecal samples examined were infected. Four parasite species under the genus Eimeria were isolated namely: E. columbae, E. tropicalis, E. columbarum, and E. labbeana; and at prevalence of 36.6%, 6.9%, 5.9% and 5.9% respectively. The difference in prevalence of the parasite species was significant (x² = 76.577, p < 0.0001). Young pigeons were significantly more infected (53.1%) than adults (28.2%) (p < 0.05). E. tropicalis oocysts had the largest size (21.5μm by 20.5μm) followed by E. labbeana oocyst (16.5μm by 15.0μm). E. columbae had the longest sporulation time of 96 hours while E. labbeana had the shortest, 24 hours. This study provides information on the prevalence and veterinary significance of Eimeria oocysts of pigeons in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra.

Keywords: Coccidian, Eimaria labbeana, Eimeria oocyst morphometry, sporulation time.