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Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias
versión impresa ISSN 0258-6576
Resumen
SILVA, Carmen J; MEDINA, Daniela y VILORIA, Nurialby. Prevalence of microfilaria in wild birds of Venezuela. Rev. Fac. Cienc. Vet. [online]. 2015, vol.56, n.2, pp.87-95. ISSN 0258-6576.
Birds megadiversity is well known in the Neotropics and Venezuela is ranked sixth worldwide. However, there are very few studies of diseases caused by blood parasites, within which highlight the filariae, which are highly specialized nematodes that house in almost any organ or tissue of terrestrial vertebrates. Their larval forms are the microfilariae, capable of producing inflammation of veins and arteries, and their presence in peripheral blood smears confirms a positive diagnosis of that parasitosis. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of microfilariae in wild birds in Venezuela during the period 2012-2014. Four areas of interest for bird conservation and the ecological characteristics of different migration paths belonging to the States of Aragua, Falcón, Zulia, and Guárico were selected. To accomplish this, wild birds were captured using mist nets. The taxonomic classification of birds was performed based on their physical characteristics in the field and in laboratory photographic records. The study population consisted of 1970 individuals of 119 species and 18 families. Blood samples from the ulnar vein were withdrawn and three Giemsa-stained blood smears were obtained from each bird. The parasitological diagnosis was made under light microscopy (1000x), identifying the specific morphological characteristics typical of microfilariae. The study results showed infection in 24 birds of 14 species, for an overall prevalence of 1.22 %, being Campylorhynchus griseus, the host with the highest prevalence, with 66.67 %. The ecological and the ornithological behavior variables did not prove to be risk factors for the prevalence of microfilariae; however, there are aspects that favor infection, such as warm environments and dense vegetation.
Palabras clave : hemoparasites; microfilaria; wild birds; prevalence; Venezuela.