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1 September 2005 Malaria in an Eastern Screech Owl (Otus asio)
Paul Tavernier, Miguel Sagesse, Arnaud Van Wettere, Patrick Redig
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Abstract

Owls are frequent carriers of blood parasites but clinical malaria infections are rare. Various stages of Plasmodium subpraecox were seen in 90% of the erythrocytes of an Eastern screech owl (Otus asio) showing symptoms consistent with malaria 1 wk after admission for traumatic injuries. An additional unidentified blood parasite, either a Plasmodium or a Haemoproteus spp. was found in small numbers of red blood cells on blood films examined at admission and at day 7 postadmission. Combined infestation, trauma-induced stress, and iatrogenic corticosteroid administration are possible factors that could have induced disease. Oral treatment with mefloquine at 30 mg/kg, repeated after 12, 24, and 48 hr, proved successful in eliminating both organisms and signs of clinical disease.

Paul Tavernier, Miguel Sagesse, Arnaud Van Wettere, and Patrick Redig "Malaria in an Eastern Screech Owl (Otus asio)," Avian Diseases 49(3), 433-435, (1 September 2005). https://doi.org/10.1637/7318-122904R.1
Received: 29 December 2004; Accepted: 1 March 2005; Published: 1 September 2005
KEYWORDS
malaria
Otus asio
owl
Plasmodium subpraecox
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