Gastro-intestinal helminths of Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus)
Introduction
The marabou, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, Lesson, is the world's largest stork and its biology and behaviour have been well described (Bere, 1969; Leslie, Emily & Kenneth, 1983; Abe, 1985). In Kampala city, their number has attained infestation/vermin status and they often splash pedestrians with their foul smelling excrement. Free range chickens and turkeys also become contaminated with the droppings, which contain some infectious pathogens. They also contaminate pasture with pathogens of livestock. Conversely, by scavenging on abattoir waste they acquire helminths that threaten their survival. The aim of this study was to establish the helminths that Marabou share with poultry, livestock and man.
Methods
Six Marabou from Kampala were immobilized with ketamine and euthanized with chloroform. At necropsy the content and mucosa of each portion of the gastrointestinal tract was examined for worms and eggs according to the method of Sloss et al. (1994). Mounted worm specimens were identified (Sloss et al., 1994; Troncy, 1981; Soulsby, 1982; Hofstad & Barnes, 1984). The results are summarized in Tables 1–5.
| Species | Infestation rate | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | ||
| Acuaria spiralis (Dispharynx nasuta) | 1 | 16.7 | Gizzard, small intestine |
| Ascaridia species | 3 | 50.0 | Crop, gizzard, small intestine |
| Cheilospirura species | 1 | 16.7 | Oesophagus, faeces |
| Echinuria leptopti | 1 | 16.7 | Gizzard |
| Gongylonema pulchrum | 1 | 16.7 | Gizzard |
| Amoebatoenia sphenoides | 2 | 33.3 | Small and large intestines |
| Dicrocoelium hospes | 1 | 16.7 | Crop, oesophagus, proventriculus, small, large intestines |
| Species | Infestation rate | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | ||
| Acuaria spiralis | 1 | 16.7 | Gizzard, small intestine |
| Amidostomum species | 1 | 16.7 | Proventriculus |
| Ascaridia galli | 4 | 66.7 | Crop, oesophagus, proventriculus, gizzard, small intestine |
| Ascaris species | 2 | 33.3 | Gizzard |
| Capillaria species | 3 | 50.0 | Gizzard, small intestine |
| Echinuria leptopti | 2 | 33.3 | Proventriculus, large intestine |
| Heterakis gallinarium | 2 | 33.3 | Proventriculus, gizzard, small intestine |
| Strongyloides | 1 | 16.7 | Small and large intestines |
| Strongyloides avium | 4 | 66.7 | Small and large intestines |
| Strongyloides species | 2 | 33.3 | Crop, oesophagus, small and large |
| Subulura brumpti | 2 | 33.3 | intestines |
| Syngamus trachea | 1 | 16.7 | Faeces, Large intestine |
| Species | Infestation rate | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | ||
| Amoebotaenia sphenoides | 4 | 66.7 | Small and large intestines |
| Davainea proglottina | 1 | 16.7 | Large intestine |
| Hymenolepis species | 2 | 33.3 | Small and large intestines |
| Raillietina cesticellus | |||
| R. echinobothridia | 5 | 833 | Gizzard, small and large intestine |
| R. tetragona | |||
| Species | Infestation rate | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | ||
| Dricrocoelium hospes | 4 | 67.7 | Crop, oesophagus proventriculus, gizzard, small intestine |
| Fasciola buski | 1 | 16.7 | Proventriculus |
| Fasciola magna | 1 | 16.7 | Small intestines |
| Fasciola species | 4 | 67.7 | Crop, oesophagus proventriculus, gizzard, small and large intestines |
| Paragonimus species | 1 | 16.7 | Proventriculus |
| Prosthogonimus species | 2 | 33.3 | Small intestine |
| Tetramere | 1 | 16.7 | Proventriculus |
| Protozoan | Infestation rate | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | ||
| Eimeria species | 1 | 16.6 | Proventriculus, gizzard |
| Entamoeba species | 2 | 33.3 | Crop, oesophagus, small and large intestine |
Discussion
This study uncovered a number of parasites of the Marabou which were capable of infecting domestic birds, man and animals.
Nematodes. Ascaridia galli was the commonest; the second was Strongyloides sp., which was reported earlier in chicken in Uganda (Bwangamoi, 1968). It was also reported in cattle, goats, sheep and zebra in and around Lake Mburo National Park (Kajura, 1994; Ocaido, 1995). Spirurid species that parasitize poultry and were found in the Marabou include Echinuria sp., Cheilospirura sp. and Acuaria sp. Kigaye (1978) also recovered Echinuria sp. from four marabou.
The finding of Capillaria sp. in 50% of the Marabou supports the work of Troncy (1981), Sekamatte (1988) and Tumusiime (1995). Wild birds that harbour Capillaria contaminate chicken feed (Arnall & Keymer, 1975). Heterakis gallinarum was found in two of six marabou. Apart from its direct action on the host, it carries the protozoan parasite Histomonas meleagridis, which causes blackhead and necrotizing hepatitis in turkeys. Subulura brumpti was first diagnosed in Uganda in a chicken from Gulu (Bwangamoi, 1968). Its eggs were found in two of the six Marabou examined. Synganus trachea reported in poultry in Uganda (Bwangamoi, 1968) was found in one marabou.
Cestodes. Only Amoebotaenia sphenoides was found in two marabou. The rest (Table 3) were identified by their eggs. All of them are known parasites of domestic birds.
Trematodes. Only Dicrocoelium hospes was found in the marabou. The others (Table 4) were identified by their eggs.
Zoonotic helminths
Trematodes infective to man found in this study are Fasciola sp., Dicrocoelium hospes and Paragonimus sp. Zoonotic cestodes found in this study were Hymenolepis sp. and Raillietina sp. The only zoonotic protozoa found was Entamoeba species.
Acknowledgement
We thank the Uganda Wildlife Authority for granting permission for the Marabou specimens and Ms Jane Nambozo and Ms Faith Nalwoga for secretarial work.
