Diagnostic study on microfilariae and some blood protozoa in quail birds (Coturnix coturnix japonica)‎ in Nineveh Governorate

Abstract EN

The study covered a diagnosis for detection of microfliaria in 90 blood samples obtained from quail birds.

The results recorded that total infestion rate was (15.6 %). Three species of microfliaria have been diagnosed in quail.

Form A of detected larvae measured 106 – 125 μm in length and 2.5 –3.0 μm in width, while form B measured 97–145.4 μm in length and 4.0 – 6.0 μm in width , finally form C dimensions measured 120–150 μm and 4.5 – 5.0 μm in width respectively.

Knott technique detected most positive cases with higher sensitivity rate 85.7 %, than other techniques used in the study.

The rate of infection recorded in adult birds 14.5 % was little higher than it in young birds 10.7 % with no significant statitiscal defferences between males and females.

The study showed appearance of 7.7 % of mixed infections of microfliaria with Aegyptianella spp.

and 4.4 % with plasmodium spp.

Finally the study pointed that microfliaria appeared with high percentage in circulating blood than peripheral blood of 40 quail birds, as15% and 10 %in circulating and peripheral blood respectively.