Cestode and Acanthocephalan Infections in Captive Bustards: New Host and Location Records, with Data on Pathology, Control, and Preventive Medicine

Bustards are large terrestrial birds that inhabit open plains, deserts, and dry bush country. The helminth parasites of captive houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata macqueeni), rufous-crested bustards (Eupodotis ruficrista), and kori bustards (Ardeotis kori) have been investigated at the National Avian Research Centre (NARC) and the International Institute of Parasitology. The cestode species recovered include Hispaniolepis falsata, Ascometra vestita, Ascometra choriotidis, Otiditaenia conoideis, Otiditaenia macqueeni, Raillietina neyrai, and Idiogenes sp. The acanthocephalans Mediorhynchus taeniatus and Centrorhynchus lancea were also recovered. A host-parasite list is presented here. Chlamydotis undulata macqueeni is a new host for A. choriotidis, C. lancea, and R. neyrai, and E. ruficrista is a new host for O. macqueeni. Ascometra choriotidis, R. neyrai, O. macqueeni, H. falsata, M. taeniatus, and C. lancea records are new for the United Arab Emirates. Cestodes were recovered from 18 of 78 houbara bustards, two of three kori bustards, and four of 10 rufous-crested bustards. Pathologic findings in the intestinal tract associated with cestode infection included inflammation, mild atrophy, collapse, and fibrosis of the intestinal mucosa. In some birds, the number of parasites was sufficient to partially obstruct the intestinal lumen. Administration of a single oral dose of 10 mg/kg praziquantel was effective in treating kori bustards known to be infected with the cestode O. conoideis. Importation of stock for captive breeding programs may introduce parasites from one region into another.