The first report of Oxyspirura mansoni (Spirurida: Thelaziidae) in a Long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus) in Türkiye

Year 2024, Volume: 3 Issue: 1, 16 - 17, 30.06.2024

Aykut Zerek , İpek Erdem

Abstract

The Oxyspirura genus, belonging to the Spirurida order Thelaziidae family, typically parasitizes the eyes of
various bird species and comprises around 70 species. Among them, Oxyspirura (O.) mansoni, O. petrowi, and O. pusillae have been reported in domestic and wild birds in North America. Of these, O. mansoni has a global distribution in many tropical and subtropical countries and is a well-known eye worm in poultry, especially domestic chickens. This species settles on the corneal surface, beneath the third eyelid, in the conjunctival sac, and in the nasolacrimal duct in their hosts. The development of O. mansoni is indirect. The eggs laid by adult females in the eye pass through the nasolacrimal ducts to the pharynx, are swallowed, and then excreted in the feces. These eggs are taken up by intermediate hosts, such as cockroaches (Pynoscelus surinamensis), where infective larvae develop in about 50 days for the final hosts. When birds ingest these cockroaches carrying infective larvae, they become infected. The infective larvae are released in the gizzard of the birds, migrating towards the eye through the esophagus and pharynx via the nasal lacrimal ducts. Clinical signs of infection in birds include eye irritation, conjunctivitis, and swelling of the third eyelid. Infected birds often scratch their eyes, leading to the formation of an inflammatory fluid causing the eyelids to adhere. Over time, eye worms can cause inflammation of the eyelids, tearing, keratitis, corneal opacity, and visual impairment. If not treated properly, the eye pupils can be completely destroyed. Parasites are removed with forceps after local anesthesia is applied to the eyes, and levamisole is highly effective in treatment. In this study presented from Hatay Province, the first case of O. mansoni in a Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) in Türkiye is reported. During the examination of a Long-legged Buzzard brought to the Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center with a complaint of injury, a total of 7 nematodes were found beneath the third eyelid. The nematodes, collected with forceps by the clinician, were preserved in 70% ethanol for microscopic examination. The obtained parasites were kept in lactophenol for two days for clarification. After clarification, digital cameras attached to a light microscope (Olympus BX53, Olympus DP72) and a stereomicroscope (Leica MC170 HD, Leica M165 C) were used for morphological identification, photography, and description. The diagnosed parasites were preserved in 5% glycerin + 70% ethanol. Microscopic examination revealed that 4 of them were female, and 3 were male. Using the relevant literature as a guide, the parasites were diagnosed as O. mansoni. According to the literature, the females of O. mansoni are 12-19 mm long and the males 10-16 mm. In this study, males were 10-13 mm long (mean 11.5 mm) and maximum 330-340 μm wide (mean 335 μm); females were 14-16 mm long (mean 15 mm) and maximum 400-430 μm wide (mean 415 μm) (Fig.1-a). The cuticle of this parasite, with a thread-like body structure, is smooth and straight. The pharynx is hourglass-shaped
(Fig.1-b). While the tails of males are curled inward, those of females are straight (Fig. 1-a). Males have two unequal spicules at the posterior end. The left spicule, cylindrical in shape, is thin and long, while the right spicule is thick and short (Fig. 1-c). In females, the vulva is located at the posterior end. The size of the developed eggs with embryos is 50-65x40-45 μm (Fig.1-d). In addition, some morphological features were used to distinguish O. mansoni from the other eyeworms reported in birds (O. petrowi, and O. pusillae). These: O. petrowi has an undivided buccal cap- sule and a cervical ala. Oxyspirura pusillae has a gubernaculum in males and a cuticularized thickening of the vulva in the females.
No clinical signs or pathological disorders caused by the parasite were observed in the bird’s eye during the physical examinatio

Keywords

Long-legged Buzzard, Nematode, Oxyspirura mansoni, Türkiye

Thanks

We express our gratitude to Prof. Dr. Ergün Köroğlu for his contributions to the diagnosis of nematode samples.

Türkiye’de bir Kızıl Şahin’de (Buteo rufinus) Oxyspirura mansoni’nin (Spirurida: Thelaziidae) ilk raporu

Abstract

Hatay Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi Yaban Hayvanı Kurtarma ve Rehabilitasyon Merkezi'ne yaralanma şikayetiyle getirilen Kızıl Şahin’in (Buteo rufinus) muayenesi esnasında üçüncü göz kapağının altında toplam 7 adet nematod tespit edildi. Klinisyen tarafından forseps yardımıyla toplanan nematodlar %70'lik etanol içerisinde parazitoloji laboratuvarına nakledildi. Laktofenolde şeffaflandırılan parazitler morfolojik özelliklerine bakılarak teşhis edildi. Parazitlerin, mikroskobik muayenesi sonucunda göz kurdu Oxyspirura mansoni oldukları tespit edildi. Literatür bilgilere göre Oxyspirura cinsine ait parazitleri tanımlayan çalışmalar sınırlı sayıda ve çoğu da oldukça eski tarihlidir. Bu vakada bir Kızıl Şahin’in (Buteo rufinus) gözünde Oxyspirura mansoni parazitleri tespit edilmiş olup, bu tür Türkiye’den ilk kez rapor edilmiştir.

Keywords

Kızıl şahin, nematod, Oxyspirura mansoni, Türkiye