Birds secrete preen oil from the uropygial (preen) gland which is used to maintain feather integrity and communicate through odour. The secretion believed influence host attractiveness biting insects, thereby altering risk of infection by vector-transmitted blood parasites. Previous studies have documented a presence bacteria in secretion; however, microbial community still largely unknown. In ...

The extensive circulation of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus in animals and the human health implications which it poses have led to extensive research in unexplored fields and thus a re-assessment of our understanding of this infection. Moreover, widespread infection of poultry has raised concerns about the food safety and trade implications of this infection, necessita...

Prior to the ongoing Asian H5N1 epizootic, it was believed that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was a disease of domesticated birds and that wild birds could act only as reservoirs for the low pathogenic form (LPAI) of these viruses. The unprecedented situation in Asia during 2004 and 2005 revealed spillover of HPAI H5N1 infection to naïve populations of wild birds. To date the role wi...

Corticosterone regulates physiological changes preparing wild birds for migration. It also modulates the immune system and may lead to increased susceptibility to infection, with implications for the spread of pathogens, including highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1. The red knot (Calidris canutus islandica) displays migratory changes in captivity and was used as a model to ass...

Wild bird surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus from 2004 to 2007 in Thailand indicated that the prevalence of infection with avian influenza H5N1 virus in wild birds was low (1.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.7-1.2, 60/6,263 pooled samples). However, the annual prevalence varied considerably over this period, with a peak of 2.7% (95% CI: 1.4, 4.1) in 2004. Pr...

subulura brumpti infection was observed in japanese quails and caused heavy production loss up to 10%. gross lesions were confined to caecum of the affected birds. pathological changes suggestive of acute cecal hemorrhagic enteritis were recorded. closer observation of the cecal loop revealed wavy movement with thousands of tiny worms. based on morphometry, the worms were identified as s. brump...

This research was conducted to describe the therapeutic effect of ivermectin and piperazine citrate on blood profile in commercial layer birds and rural poultry. Two experiments named 1 and 2 were performed representing commercial layer birds and rural poultry respectively. Each experiment was consisted of 4 groups of 15 birds each named A, B, C, D, (Experiment No 1) and W, X, Y and Z (Experime...

To test the hypothesis that inclusion of whole cereals in the diet of broiler chickens reduces the severity of a coccidial infection, the effects were investigated, in birds infected with Eimeria acervulina, of feeding a complete pelleted control food, the control food diluted with whole wheat (400 g/kg), or a diet in which ground wheat in the pellets was substituted with whole wheat (400 g/kg)...