Abstract

CHIRINOS, Nelly M; CHIRINOS, Angel R; BRICENO, Jorge  and  MOLINA, Marvin. New Focal Infection of Oxyspirura mansoni in Gamecock of Municipalities of Zulia State, Venezuela. Rev. Cient. (Maracaibo) [online]. 2009, vol.19, n.3, pp.264-267. ISSN 0798-2259.

The purpose of this research was to determine the existence of the source of an Oxispirurosis infection which ethiological agent is a nematode known as Thelaziidae: Oxyspirura mansoni (Cobbold, 1869). This nematode is responsible of ocular filariosis of birds. This study is related with gamecock birds located in the following Municipalities: Maracaibo, San Francisco, Jesus Enrique Lossada and Mara of Zulia State, Venezuela. These parasites are located under the nictitante membrane of the eye causing an absolute blindness. In the present study samples were taken from cocpits of four Municipalities of Zulia State with a total of 630 gamecock birds sampled. In Maracaibo, La Rotaria sector, 50.77% of evaluated animals were positive. The parasites were directly extracted from the eyes after treatment with an ivermectine ophthalmic solution (1%). In other cockpits located in Las Delicias sector, 20% of sampled birds were positive. In the San Francisco Municipality, Los Cortijos sector, 32% of sampled birds were positive, while in the second cockpit Lacteos San Jose the animals were negative. In the Jesús Enrique Lossada Municipality, all sampled birds resulted negative; in the Mara Municipality, Los Lirios sector, all 35 samples were negative. Were found in the cages of the gamecock birds that were positive, many cockroachs were identify and classified (Dictyoptera, Blattaria, Blattidae, specie: Picnoscelus surinamensis).This cockroach has been designated as the intermediary host. Larvae of nematode Oxyspirura mansoni were found in the general cavity of the cockroach. In the negative cockpits, the cockroachs were not present. It was concluded that the same cockroach species (Picnoscelus surinamensis) is associated with the disease as in previous work, but the degree of the lesions was relatively moderated.

Keywords : Gamecock; nictitante membrane; oxispirurosis; filariosis eyes; cockroachs.